Hidden Power
by Sgt-Carebear
Summary: What would happen if a little Majin girl was raised on earth and trained to fight? What would happen if she joined the battle against Vegeta and Nappa? Hidden Power, that's what! Hopefully going up through the new series when it comes out. Based on canon, but with changes. First story, so reviews appreciated! Enjoy! I hope. T for language and violence (obviously, its a DBZ fic)
1. Beginnings

**A/N: This story will be in the form of the main character telling her story, so the readers are the audience and essentially she is narrating her experiences as she views them. First fic, so constructive criticism is great, but no hate please. If you don't like it, don't read it. (But really I'm not gonna tell people not to read my own story, so read it)**

Beginnings

When did I realize I was different? Surprisingly enough, it wasn't when I got shot and the bullet bounced off. But more on that in a bit. No, it was probably around five seconds before that, when I realized that I was the only person with hot pink skin (I'm not kidding, I'm literally pink), and short tentacles instead of hair. Not to mention my bright purple irises and the lack of any white in my eyes. Of course, when I was little I thought my appearance was completely normal. This was probably a result of my being raised in the wilderness with only my adoptive grandmother for company. With the innocence and naiveté that all children possess, I naturally thought that I was normal and she was the weird one. At the time, it never occurred to me to ask why I never got see the city or any other people, in the same way that someone raised in a cave would never think to look for the sun. The outside world simply didn't exist for me, and for good reason. Apparently people would react rather strongly to seeing a pink-skinned creature walking around downtown Orange Star City. Nevertheless, I had a mostly happy childhood, running around the woods near my house thinking they were the whole world and it was all mine. I probably would've continued thinking this if a hunter hadn't stumbled upon me one day and shot a twelve-year-old girl (that would be me, geniuses).

I was outside chasing a deer, trying to see if I could win a race. This was a silly notion, as I had no idea where the deer was going, and it had no idea it was part of the backwoods version of formula one racing. Nevertheless, there I was running as fast as I could (I later discovered this was pretty fast for Earth), when all of a sudden I heard the loudest noise of my whole life, and the deer fell onto its side. Being the helpful person that I am, I immediately sprinted to the fallen creature to see what had happened. As I approached I could hear the poor thing whimpering in pain, and I could see a whole in its side leaking blood. As I had had no contact with civilization, I had no idea that the deer had just been shot by a hunter until a man emerged from the brush holding a long metal and wooden stick. Naturally, when he saw me he shouted and raised the stick (a rifle, believe it or not) and pointed it at me. Of course, Gran had warned me what people would think if they ever saw me, though I didn't really listen at the time. So I frantically tied to convey my peaceful and non-genocidal intentions to this man. "Wait, I'm like you!" I tried to say, only I barely got as far as "I'm" before another tremendous bang rang out and I felt something poke me in the shoulder. I'm serious, that's all it felt like. Obviously, when he saw my reaction to being shot with a high-powered rifle, that hunter screamed and started running in the opposite direction as fast as he could (not really all that fast, to be honest). I couldn't really grasp the gravity of what had just occurred, and so of course I tried to chase after him to see if he could help me heal the deer. "Please, wait, what about the deer back there?" I called out. But the only thing I heard in response was, "It's all yours you freak, just stay away from me!" By the time I stopped wondering why I was a freak and remembered the deer, it was already dead. Now, I have nothing against doing what you need to in order to survive; I've hunted plenty of times myself when Gran was away in the city. But I didn't need the meat this time, and judging by the strange man's lack of effort to retrieve his prey, neither did he. This angered me, as the deer was innocent and didn't need to die. But there was nothing I could do. Dejectedly, I started running back to the cabin to see if my grandmother could explain to me what had just occurred. Despite my confusion and woeful lack of life experience, I could tell that my life was never going to be the same joyful, innocent experience again.

 **A/N: the first chapter is short, and the second one might be too, but they're just introducing plot and characters. The chapters will start to lengthen as they go. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Revelations

**A/N: cover art by** **rocio-mb** **on deviantart. Shout-out to** **Flashfox Tyrell05 for being the first person to favorite and follow this story. You should all follow this example. Shout-out to RedLightsRedFights, whose story "The Bond" majorly inspired this one.**

 **For clarification: (….) is modern-day Lynn commenting on her flashback,** _ **text in italics**_ **is flashback Lynn's thoughts.**

 **Long conversations will be divided as follows:**

" **First speaker"**

" **Second speaker"**

" **First"**

" **Second" etc. who is speaking will either be clear from context, or will be explicitly mentioned.**

 **I own only my original character, Lynn. The following is a non-profit, fan-based fanfiction. Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.**

Revelations

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I suppose I should give some sort of introduction beyond "crazy pink girl who runs around forests scaring the crap out of poor hunters". My name is Lynn. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking, "That doesn't sound like an alien's name". Well that's because I'm adopted remember? Jeez, keep up people. Anyways, as I mentioned earlier, I have bubblegum-pink skin, short wavy tentacles, or head-tails, for hair, and purple eyes. I'm about five foot, two (ok, so five foot, one and a half, same difference). I'm your typical girl: fascinated by fighting, has been beaten too a pulp more times that she can count, loves exploring other planets, part-time galactic protector, etc., etc.…. Wait, that's not what normal earthling girls do? Huh, guess I've been around the Z-fighters too long...but we're not there yet. First we have to go back to that fateful day when I got so rudely shot trying to introduce myself, and everything changed...

"Gran, Gran are you home? Something really bad happened in the woods outside Orange Star City!" The word city is hardly out of my mouth when Gran appears in the garden outside our house as if out of thin air. She's always been worried I would sneak into the city, and now I know why. "What did you do Lynn?" She asks in a worried, yet somehow still disapproving tone. She does that really well, making you feel like she's not mad and at the same time still making you worried about what your punishment will be. I guess all grandmothers do that. She looks like I think most grandmothers do, too: short and slightly stooped over with age, lined but firm face, and wise eyes that can either twinkle with merriment or look like stones in anger. Which they do now. Gulp. "Gran is wasn't my fault I was running in the woods and there was this deer and I was racing it and then this man showed up and then" "Stop, child." She cuts off my rambling explanation and forces me to take a breath. "Now start again, slowly this time." I inhale deeply and focus on not stammering this time. "I was racing a deer in the woods outside the city, and then there was a bang and it fell over. This man came out of the bushes, and he looked like you! I mean, he looked like you told me men do, but he wasn't pink like me and he had actual hair! I thought you were the only one like that Gran?"

She sighs, realizing that this day had to come eventually. "Sit down Lynn, I have a lot to tell you". I sit down at the kitchen table, totally unaware that my life was about to come crashing down around my ear-holes. (Erm, yeah, I probably should've mentioned, I don't have ears per se. They're just holes that sound goes in. They work the same way as human ears, they just look different. Anyways...) "Try not to interrupt, I will answer your questions when I've finished". I nod nervously and wonder what could be this important. Surely I, adorable pixie that I am, couldn't have caused too much trouble by simply trying to save a deer? Somehow, I managed to sit still as she began her tale, my tale. "Twelve years ago, I was walking through these very woods, when I came across a small pink sphere at the bottom of a small crater. Not knowing what it was, I brought it home, thinking that I might be able to sell it in the city. That night, however, it cracked open and I woke up the next morning to find a pink baby sitting on my kitchen table. That baby was you, Lynn." "But what do you mean, you found me in a crater!? And how did I come out of that pink thing if you're my grandmother?" I can't help but interrupt. "Lynn, I'm not your actual grandmother," she says in exasperation. "I just raised you because you have no one else. You only call me Gran because I'm not you mother and it's improper to call the woman raising you by her first name." My eyes grow wide as I take in this new information. "But...but...then where am I from if I'm not from Earth?" All I get is a despondent "I don't know. I tried to find out what you are, and where you are from, but one can only do so much research into pink alien babies before people start asking questions." I guess that make sense to me now, but it doesn't really do much to satisfy a twelve-year-old's curiosity.

Gran looks at me, and I can tell she's wondering whether or not to tell me something. We sit there in silence for a few seconds, me digesting life-changing revelations and her gathering her words for her next info-bomb. Finally, she takes a deep breath and shocks me with her next words: "Lynn, I think you should train and learn how to fight." Now, you have to understand that this is the woman who taught me never to harm a living creature unless I absolutely had to, who got mad if I shot a frog with my slingshot and then refused to eat it (like, eww). And now here she is telling me she wants me to learn to fight? Why? "Why, Gran?" "Because Lynn, you're special. You've always been faster and stronger than human girls you're age, and human boys for that matter. You did not come from this planet, and while you may have been peaceful, if not a little rambunctious, the next visitor our planet gets might not be so inclined. Do you understand?" "You...you want me to be ready to fight someone who comes here to be a bully?" She smiles at my childish interpretation. "Yes child, I want you to be able to protect the innocent people of this planet, in the same way you wanted to protect that deer." _Wow...me protecting the whole wide world? How can I do that? But if I really am special, I might be the only one who can._ "Ok, what do I do?" She gazes at me with pride in those wide eyes of hers, and tells me to gather as many small rocks as I can from the forest. Despite being slightly confused as to how exactly that would help me learn to fight, I do what she says and trudge off into the trees.

After about fifteen minutes of mind-numbingly boring rock gathering, I had collected a good-sized pile. Bringing the, back the house, I saw Gran waiting for me outside wearing an outfit I had never seen before. It looked like something out of one of those old martial arts movies she sometimes let me watch. I would later learn that she was wearing a kimono, hakama pants, and sandals, or in other words the standard attire of a ninja. "Gran what are you wearing?" I giggled. Her mouth narrows in disapproval at my antics. "For your information young lady, this is a uniform that should garner much respect. Many years ago, I was a ninja. Ninjas are warriors who fight injustice and dishonorable people. Sadly, I am too old to fight now, so I must impart my skills to you." I stare at here in amazement. "But Gran, if you were a warrior, why did you want me to never fight anyone?" Her eyes mist over as she recalls memories long past. "Because child, the life of a warrior is rarely easy and seldom peaceful. I wanted you to have a carefree life, and never have to suffer the pain of hurting, or even killing someone else. Now, it's time to start your training." _Finally, we're getting somewhere,_ I think excitedly. "Ok Gran, what do you want me to do?" My mind is racing a mile a minute trying to think of what all these rocks could be for. But the only response I get is one word: "Dodge!"...THUNK! "OW, Gran, what was that for?!" She laughs at my obviously faked cry of pain. "If you cannot dodge a rock thrown by an old woman, how do you expect to dodge a punch thrown by a dangerous warrior?... _I guess she's right. But still, she didn't have to throw it so dang hard. That hurt more than getting shot for crying out-_ THUNK!..."Dodge!"

One Year Later

"Hiyah! Take that Gran!" Six months after my grandmother started throwing rocks at me, we had started actual martial arts training. To our surprise, my delight, and her curiosity, I had learned at a tremendous pace, displaying an aptitude for fighting that my grandmother could only attribute to my otherworldly origin. Now, six more months after that, we were sparring every day, and I was easily outpacing her. "Very...very good...Lynn" she pants. All her years are catching up to her, it seems. "I think...it's time we moved...to the next phase of...your training." My eyes widen in excitement. I had been waiting for this day for months. The day...when I would learn how to fly. "Am I going to fly now Gran? Am I?" The corners of her mouth turn upwards at my enthusiasm. "Sadly, learning takes more than one day, child. But yes, we are beginning along that path." _Aww man, I wanted to learn to fly today!_ "But Gran-" "Don't you 'but Gran' me young lady," she says sharply. "If you want to learn to fly, you have to do it correctly." I'm sure the sound of my dejected sigh could be heard in Orange Star City. "Alright, what do I do first?" The look I her eyes tells me I'm in for something incredibly painful, boring, or both. "Close your eyes, and focus on your core. That isn't just your center of balance, Lynn; it's your center of energy. You can use that energy to fly, or to create energy blast to throw at you opponents, among other things. Do you understand so far?" After receiving my determined nod, she continues, "Accessing this energy is simply a matter of knowing it's there, and focusing hard enough. Everyone is capable of this, though most people never do because they do not believe they can. You know it is possible because you have seen me do it in these past few months. Now, I want you to focus on feeling that energy flow through you. Once you think you can feel it, try to bring it to the surface of your hand to form a sphere." To her utter disbelief, a small sphere of magenta energy, about the size of a baseball, forms above my upturned palm within seconds.

"Look Gran, I did it!" I shout.

"How did you do that so quickly!? That should have taken you at least five minutes!"

"I dunno, I just focused like you said, and I could feel the energy, so I pulled it into my hand. Did I do something wrong?" I ask frantically.

"No, I've just never heard of anyone creating an energy sphere with so little practice. It must be because you are not human."

"Oh. Well, I guess that's the good part of being an alien. What's next?"

"I suppose you managed that quickly enough that we can move on to learning how to shoot energy blasts. Listen closely, child. When you have mastered this technique, you will be able to attack opponents who are far away from you. But this comes at a cost: should you miss your target, innocent lives may be put at risk. This is why focus is the most important attribute when it comes to energy techniques. With practice, you will be able to control the direction of the blast even after it is launched, but for now we will simply attempt to hit a target in a straight line from you. In the same way you drew the energy from your core to your hand, you must draw it from within you and expel it in the direction of your opponent, which in this case is a tree. I will demonstrate, and then you will attempt to replicate my actions."

She stands straight and tall, unusual for her, and pantomimes drawing a bow and arrow. "HI-KAR-I YA-JIRUSHI!" As she shouts, an arrow of pure energy forms where the bow would be, and she lets it fly as she finishes the words. BOOM! A cloud of smoke and flame erupts on the other side of our training clearing, and when it clears, the tree she was aiming at doesn't exist anymore.

"And that…that is the…light arrow technique," she pants. Using that much energy clearly took a lot out of her, but she waves me off when I move closer to her.

"I'm fine, child; though I shouldn't do that too often in my old age."

"Wow Gran, that was amazing! I can't wait till I can do that!"

"Given the way you've picked up martial arts and feeling your energy, I wouldn't be surprised if you get it right on your first try. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't, either. Go ahead, give it a go."

I set my stance, and draw my invisible bow; the fingers on my right hand brush my right cheek and I hold my left hand held firmly out in front of me, the left elbow bent slightly. Inhaling deeply, I focus as hard as I can on feeling the flow of energy in my core. "HI-KAR-I YA-JIRUSHI!" The arrow of light goes a paltry five feet before fizzling out in the dirt.

"I…I don't get it Gran. I did exactly what you did; Why didn't it work?" My enthusiasm quickly turns to frustration, and that into despondency. However, my grandmother doesn't seem disappointed or disapproving. "Your form and technique were nearly perfect, Lynn; it is your focus and inner strength that need work. Frankly, I am surprised you even managed to form an arrow on you first day of training. You should be proud of that accomplishment. Now, let us return home, and we will continue training tomorrow."

I follow behind her, trying to take her advice and be proud of myself. Being proud is hard, though, when your teacher pulverized a tree, and all I blew up was a piece of dirt and maybe a leaf. I make myself a vow that I will master that technique, and any others Gran decides to teach me. I will become the warrior she thinks I can be.

Four More Years Later

There is no feeling on this Earth that can compare to the sensation of the wind whipping past your face as you shoot through the air at breakneck speeds. It's just that amazing. Ever since I finally mastered flight two years ago, I've hardly walked anywhere. After landing in the garden and flicking a head-tail back behind my ear-hole, I softly enter the house I've lived in for the past seventeen years. Without Gran, it just feels empty now. She died last year, just after my sixteenth birthday (hatch-day). She had just lived too long. There's no cure for old age, and when the body gives out, you just have to let them go. She said she wasn't sad or afraid; she had lived a good life, and she had prepared me to be just fine on my own. And I have been for the past twelve months, though that hasn't made the pain fade much. However, I have never forgotten her words about becoming a protector of the innocent, and now I have a face for all those people I'm supposed to be guarding against evil. To that end, I've spent all of my time training in martial arts; flight; energy techniques, including the light arrow; and overall endurance. Despite this constant preparation, there has never been any cause for concern. There was one spike of power I could feel last year, but I was too busy burying Gran to investigate, and by the time I could leave the house, the power surge had faded. Now though, I can feel two massive power sources approaching from far in the distance, near East City. I quickly change from my casual attire into my combat boots; slim-fitting cargo pants; and tank top, and sling my Grandmother's katana, Asahi, across my back. After taking one last look around my childhood home, and promising myself I would return in the future, I took off for East City in a magenta blur.

 **A/N: Well, here we are with a grown-up (somewhat) and trained (kind of) protagonist, and next chapter will see the arrival of two particularly disagreeable Saiyans. Thanks for reading! (Tell your friends. And their friends. And their…you get the idea)**


	3. Arrival

**A/N: Shout-out to** **XxSkullCandyxX for being the first person to review this story. Everyone follow this example.**

 **For clarification: (text in parentheses) is modern-day Lynn commenting on her flashback,** _ **text in italics**_ **is flashback Lynn** **'** **s thoughts.**

 **Long conversations will be divided as follows:**

" **First speaker"**

" **Second speaker"**

" **First"**

" **Second** **" etc. who is speaking will either be clear from context, or will be explicitly mentioned.**

 **I own only my original character, Lynn. The following is a non-profit, fan-based fanfiction. Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.**

Arrival

I mentioned earlier that no feeling was as great as that of flying. Well, no feeling is worse than that of being blown out of the sky. The helplessness of tumbling through the air, not knowing which way is up, and being unable to focus enough to recover before impact with the ground is just terrible.

Why do I say this? As I approached East City, ignoring the strange looks and pointing fingers I received from humans walking around the outskirts of the city, I sensed the monstrous evil coming from the two power levels rapidly approaching. Already flying at my stop speed, there was nothing I could do as I watched two spheres plummet into the center of the city, crashing through several skyscrapers in the process. A few seconds later, the majority of the city exploded with an immense burst of raw, unbridled energy. This is what sent me careening out of the sky, and by the time I picked myself up off the ground and shook my head clear, all that was left of the city was smoke, rubble, and so much death. I could still barely sense the power trail left by the two attackers, who I assumed (correctly) to be aliens, so I jumped back into the air and started soaring in their direction. I wasn't sure I was prepared for this fight, and I braced myself for the inevitable pain that comes hand in hand with an all-out, no holds barred brawl.

As I left the city behind and entered the wasteland that stretched between clusters of civilization, I began to make out a few weaker powers, with almost no negative energy in them. _Oh thank God, I_ _'_ _m gonna have help with this one. I_ _'_ _m really, really, gonna need it._ Flying low along a grassy plain to help keep my power hidden, I could make out eight figures standing in two lines facing each other, one of two and the other six. I finally arrive at the wasteland, and stand next to the line of six warriors, recognizing the opposing two as the evil powers that destroyed East City.

One of the six, a tall man with green skin; antennae; and pointy ears, speaks directly to me without moving his gaze from the evil warriors, "You there, I assume you're here to help us?"

A short man, five feet tall at the most, adds from behind the green one, "Please tell me you are. We need all the help we can get."

I nod, answering, "I couldn't reach them in time to save East City, but I can avenge those poor people now.

"Very well then," says the green one. "I can't sense your power, so hopefully you're just hiding it. My name is Piccolo…"

"And I'm Krillin," the short one pipes up again.

"…but the rest of the introductions will have to wait until later." After considering our enemies strength, he adds, "If there is a later."

Upon hearing our voices and our conversation, the shorter of the two opens his eyes and surveys our battle line. As his gaze lands on me, his eyes widen in…is that fear? He stares at me in shock, and whispers one word: "Majin."

Apparently, only myself and the green alien, Piccolo, have hearing strong enough to hear the whisper, because only he turns to me and asks in surprise, "Do you know this guy?"

"NO! I've never seen him before in my life! Not that I've seen very many people. But still, I've never even heard the word Majin before, either." _He sure seems to know me though, or something about me._ My eyes widen in excitement. _Maybe he knows where I came from!_

Piccolo seems hesitant to believe me. "I usually don't make a habit of trusting complete strangers, especially aliens who happen to arrive at exactly the same time as another two aliens that are trying to destroy this world. However, given their strengths, I don't suppose I have a choice. But after we're done here, you and I are going to have a long talk."

Before I can respond, the beefier of the two aliens (these are the saiyans if you haven't figured that out yet) starts talking, presumably to his shorter companion, "Vegeta, I'm bored! Can't we start beating the tar out of these weaklings already?"

Apparently ignoring us completely, the two aliens get into a heated argument. "Damn it, Nappa! You know we have to wait for Kakarot to show his low-class, cowardly face first. Then, and only then, we can get our workout." Eyeing us with disdain, he reconsiders: "Hopefully."

"Fine Vegeta, I'll wait for Kakarot. But I want first crack at his friends!"

"If it'll shut you up for five minutes, Nappa, fine!" The shorter one, apparently called Vegeta, seems to be the boss. He strides over to a nearby rock and sits down. "Why don't you let the Saibamen get some exercise while we wait? If they can defeat these puny Earthlings, they aren't worth our time anyway."

"Alright Vegeta, I think I have enough for all of them." He takes a packet of what look like plant seeds out of his belt, and bends down to plant them in the ground. _Why the Hell is he gardening at a time like this? Heh, didn_ _'_ _t know they got the Home Channel in space._ By the time my sarcastic thoughts make me smile at my own humor, he's finished whatever it is he's doing with the seeds, and he stands back with a smirk on his mustached face.

Before I can understand what's happening, the ground begins to boil. From the spots where he planted the seeds come the most horrifying creatures I've never imagined. A little shorter than even Krillin, they were all colored green. Unlike Piccolo, who was a dark, forest green, these monsters were the color of mucus and vomit (nasty right? Trust me, I'm not embellishing here. Krillin helpfully provided a sample of actual vomit at this point for us to compare). After the sounds of Krillin's retching faded away, the two groups were left standing in silence.

"Right, I don't want our fun to end too quickly, so how about we each send one fighter out at a time? Who knows, you may even be able to beat a Saibaman in one on one combat."

"We're not playing any of your sick games! Why don't you fight us now, if you're so cocky?" That was one of the other good guys, dressed in an orange gi without an undershirt, and had long black hair that partially hid a nasty scar on one cheek. Despite his attitude, I couldn't detect much power coming from him. _Maybe he_ _'_ _s just hiding it like I am. Or maybe not._

Before the two aliens could even decide whether that deserved a reply, Piccolo spoke up again, "Shut up, Yamcha." _So that_ _'_ _s his name._ "We need to buy time for Goku to get here, and this might be the perfect way." _I wonder who Goku is. Must be another of their friends. Whoever he is, I hope he gets here and soon, and that he_ _'_ _s strong enough to make a difference._

"You should listen to your green friend," Vegeta mocks scornfully. "Even if you all tried to attack me at once, you would be no match for the prince of all Saiyans!" _Huh. I guess that_ _'_ _s what type of alien they are. I wonder how many of them there are besides these two? He makes it sound like there_ _'_ _s a lot._ (There weren't)

"Fine. If we're going to play, I'll go first." That was the last adult among the group, a tall, bare-chested man, who looked human enough except for his third eye. _Another alien?_ "Let's see how strong these…things…are."

"Yeah, you can do it Tien!" Krillin cheered from the sidelines. _So there's Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, Piccolo, and the two kids. Who the hell brings kids to a battle like this? Wonder who, and where, their parents are. Hope it's not any of these guys. That would be a very dysfunctional household._

As the rest of us watch in tense anticipation, Tien and the first Saibaman circle each other warily, neither wanting to make the first move. Finally, the monster grows impatient and leaps at Tien with a gurgling battle cry. _Christ, even its language is disgusting._ The two combatants brawl across the field in a blur of kicks and punches, neither landing a hit. The Saibaman swings a low kick at Tien's legs, but he jumps into the air and floats there, waiting.

 _So these guys can fly, too. Hopefully they can use energy techniques as well, or this'll be a short fight once the Saiyans get involved_. Tien finally breaks through the creature's guard, and sends it flying to the ground, unconscious. There's not a scratch on him, and Krillin and the black-haired kid cheer him on as he lands. Yamcha stands to the side, smirking, but Piccolo still seems wary. Out of nowhere, the unconscious Saibaman explodes into gory chunks. We all turn and stare in shock at Vegeta, who lowers the hand he used to kill his own minion.

"He...he just killed his own fighter in cold blood," Krillin stammers. "Why would he do that?"

"Because," Piccolo growls, "he wasn't useful anymore. This guy is an absolute monster. We need to be very careful how we approach him when we fight."

Vegeta overhears this frantic conversation, and a derisive grin grows on his face. "And what makes you think the prince of the strongest race in the universe would dirty his hands with the likes of you?" _Oh God, he monologues in the third person. This guy has stereotypical villain writing all over him; it's like something out of Gran's old martial arts flicks, but with more alien's._

"You'll fight us," I say confidently, "because when you run out of cannon fodder you'll have no other choice."

At this, the other Saiyan, Nappa, bursts out into hysterical laughter. "Even if you beat all the remaining Saibamen, you'll still have to get through me before you can tangle with Vegeta. And you won't be living that long, I promise you." _This guys sadistic. He wants to kill us just for the fun of it. But his boss, he's smarter than that. He's here for something specific. Whatever it is, I can't let him get to it._

While I'm busy strategizing, Yamcha steps forward and loudly proclaims, "Alright, it's my turn now!" _Is this idiot serious? He isn't hiding any power, so he really is as weak as he seems! Why is he so cocky? He's just gonna get himself killed. I can take on these things easily._

"No! I'll go." As I speak I stride forward to stand in front of our battle line.

"And who do you think you are, kid? I know you think you're here to help, but you're just gonna get in the way. I'll handle this, so you don't get your pretty face messed up." _God, this guy's an idiot, an asshole, a weakling, and a pervert. Why does everyone else hang out with him?_

Before I can make my usual witty retort, Piccolo steps between us. "Don't be a fool Yamcha. You know you're not up for this."

"What, and she is? I've been training my whole life for this! We don't even know her, where she came from, or even what the Hell she is!"

I clear my throat loudly. "Excuse you, she is right here, and she can damn we'll handle herself!" _Great, now these fools have me talking in third person. Heh. It's funny the things you worry about when the world could very well be about to end._ "I will be the next one to fight these monsters, and don't you dare try to stop me Yamcha!"

"...Alright, alright, fine she can go. But I'm after her!"

 _God,this asshole does not let up_. I square off with the next Saibaman, and recall my training with Gran. _You always said I was special. Now I'll prove it to you. I hope you're watching, wherever you are. Unless I lose. Then I hope you're ignoring me._ Snapping out of my reverie, I look up just in time to block the monster's first punch. My arm barely moved with the impact. _Jesus, this thing's weaker than my grandmother. Literally._

Using the same arm I blocked with, I snap out a backhanded blow to the creature's face, stunning it briefly. Pivoting, I hook my other fist into its jaw, and it's neck snaps. As my the roar of adrenaline fades from my ear-holes, I can hear the others gasping at my easy victory. _They think these guys are dangerous? I wonder what they do for training. At least I stopped Yamcha from fighting though. He'd probably be be dead on the ground at this point._ Out of the corner of my vision, I see Vegeta's eyes narrow in surprise. He quickly motions for another Saiabman to fight, and I turn to face my next opponent, ignoring Yamcha's protests.

Instead of closing the distance between us, this Saibaman paws at the ground and builds up its energy. Despite the warning my senses provide of its imminent attack, I'm transfixed by the sight of it literally splitting its skull open to shoot some disgusting liquid at me. I barely manage to dodge in time to avoid being splattered. _Eww, brain juice._ As I twist to the side to regain my balance, I see the patch of ground the liquid struck smoldering. _Acid, brain juice. Gotta watch out for that._

I lunge forward to close to a range where it's acid would burn itself too, and the fight is on. And then the fight is off, because this one dies as quickly as the last (or so I thought). Dimly, I can hear cries of shock and praise from Krillin and the kid, but the majority of my focus is on Vegeta. Sure enough, he sends a third stooge after me. Sure enough it dies too, this time from a ki blast to the brain as it tried to spray me with acid. _An attack that requires you to open your head is pretty abysmal in terms of usability in combat._

Before I can turn to find my next opponent, the second Saibaman I fought jumps back up and wraps it's disgusting limbs around me, pinning my arms to my sides. Even as I fought to free myself, I could feel it's energy building and building, to the point where it's own body wouldn't be able to contain it. _Christ, the thing is gonna kill itself to get me!_ _Talk about job motivation._ Abandoning my efforts to break free from its grip, I focused the energy from my core into a shield around my body. Of course, I had tried this in training, but never with so much pressure, and never against so much energy. _I really, hope this works, or there won't be enough of me left to bury._ As the Saibaman's energy goes critical, I squeeze me eyes shut and tense my muscles.

BOOM! After my ears stop ringing and the Earth stops shaking, I can make out cries from the others asking if I'm alright. And those asshole Saiyans are laughing their asses off. _Laugh at this, assbutts._ Taking a deep breath, I focus on the ki I'd gathered for my shield, and force it away from myself in a sphere, clearing the dust shaken up by the explosion. Looking around at the assembled fighters, I see expressions ranging from shock, to joy, to respect on our side of the field, and shock, to rage, to respect on the Saiyan's side.

Vegeta's eyes in particular have a new edge to them, as if he is deigning to notice one of us for the first time. The strange, unreasonable fear I saw when I first arrived is present again, as well. _Why would he be afraid of me? Unlike Yamcha, his boasts weren't merely posturing, I can sense his power is easily enogh to back up his words. It must be something to do with what he said to himself when I first got here: Majin. I need to find out what that means._ Which means this charade needs to end. Now.

Deciding to take the initiative this time, I dart forwards and quickly eliminate the remaining three Saibamen. I barely have a scratch on me, even after the self-destruction of the terrifyingly determined Saibaman that preferred suicide to failure. Retreating to the line formed by the other Earth warriors, I fix my gaze on the two Saiyans. "I believe this game is over. Looks like you're running out of minions, your majesty." _God, I really hope they picked up on the sarcasm on that last part. Watching movies and actually delivering insults are two very different things. I need to get out more. I don't understand why people would freak out if I walked around town, I mean just because I'm the color of bubblegum, doesn't mean I'm gonna try to turn them all into bubblegum or something outlandish like that. Jeez._

Vegeta smirks, again, and nods towards Nappa. "I still have my strongest ally on the battlefield. Yours has yet to show himself. But I must agree, the game has ended. Nappa, have your fun. But the Majin is mine, understand?"

"Sure thing Vegeta. Now…who should I kill first?" As he stalks forward, Nappa's power seems to emanate off of him in waves of evil energy. Like an insane child, he hums to himself as he decides who to fight: "Eenie, meenie, minie, THAT ONE!" With the last words he leaps towards the kid, who couldn't have older than five.

"Leave him ALONE!" My battle cry splits the air as I hurry to intervene before the kid gets splattered. Crouching in front of the boy, I was my forearm just in time to catch Nappa's enormous fist. _Now THAT one hurt. A little._

He pauses and looks back at Vegeta, as if asking permission to do something about the pest blocking his path to his prey. _Asshole. You might not be able to hit me, but_ "I can hit you!" Nappa's head hasn't turned all the way back around before my clenched fist connects squarely with his jaw, snapping his head back again towards Vegeta, whiplashing his neck.

"That…that actually HURT! How could a weakling like you hurt me!? Your power didn't even register on the scouter!" His panicky confusion would be kinda funny, if we weren't in a battle for an entire planet.

"It didn't show up because I was hiding it, you moron. Honestly, how could a race that claims to be as strong as yours not be able to sense power without a machine? Try me NOW! HI-KAR-I YAJI-RUSHI!" With each syllable, my power spikes, and by the time I let the arrow of energy fly, the device on Vegeta's ear is bleeping an alarm.

"Nappa! Dodge it!" Only years of combat and training save Nappa's life, as his reflexive twist causes my attack to only scar his cheek. This wounds more than his flesh, though; as his disbelief that a lesser creature could land a damaging blow causes him to ignore Vegata's orders and attack me with reckless abandon.

 _Well shit. Now I've got to deal with both of these douchebags, unless one of my supposed allies wants to_ "HELP!" Piccolo, Krillin, and Tien spring into action, attacking Nappa in concert. With him distracted, I turn my attention to Yamcha. "I want you to take this kid-"

"His name's Gohan!"

"Whatever, that's not important now. What is important is the fact that a battlefield is no place for a freaking five year old! Take him and get the hell out of here!"

"Hey look, you're just a kid yourself. What makes you think you can boss me around?"

"BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'S WEAKER THAN A SAIBAMAN! Now stop wasting time and get the hell out of here!"

"…Alright fine, I might not be strong enough to fight in this battle, but Gohan's crazy strong when he's mad. Trust me, you're gonna want him around. I'll head back to the lookout and grab some Senzu beans." He takes off in a flash of blue aura. I have no idea what those last words about beans meant, but I don't have time to ponder them.

I turn my attention back to the battle just in time to see Tien fly past me, cradling his left arm in his right. As he drops to his knees, I my gaze lands on the gruesome sight of his left arm being severed at the elbow. Tearing my eyes of his arm, I see the other little guy, the one that looks like a miniature mime or clown, flying towards Nappa.

"Tien, no!" He latches onto Nappa's back like a leech. _What is he gonna do? He should've left with Yamcha._ The sight of Nappa trying to reach his arms around his body to reach the little human would've been comical if not for the badly wounded warrior on the ground near my feet. "I'll protect you, my friend" he squeaks.

"Chiaotzu!" _Gesundheit. Oh wait, that must be the little guy's name._ "You can't! You know you'll die, and you've already been wished back by the Dragonballs once, we can't do it again!" _I'm sorry, the dragon's whatnow?_

"I have to Tien. He's too strong; it's the only way! You've been a good friend, I'm sorry." The little guy starts to glow with energy the same way the Saibaman did, and realization dawns and me and Nappa at the same time. I join in with Tien's protests, though without the part about dragon privates, and Nappa's attempts to dislodge Chiaotzu become more frantic. He can't get free in time, though; Chiaotzu explodes into pure energy, and a cloud of thick smoke envelops the big Saiyan.

Our hopes are just starting to pick up when maniacal laughter drifts through the air to reach our ears, pointy; holes; or otherwise. "HAHAHA, oh, that was a good one. Little guy even cracked my armor a little. Shame he can only do that once though." The smoke clears and sure enough, Nappa was completely unharmed by Chiaotzu's last-ditch effort, except for a small crack in his chest plate.

"CHIAOTZU! My friend…I will avenge you!" Tien begins to gather what's left of his ki, obviously planning something drastic. Before he can try anything stupid, I intervene.

"Tien, wait! You already lost too much strength! You wont be able to hurt him, and you'll end up the same way as your friend." The pain in his eyes as he looks at me is almost unbearable, and makes me hate the Saiyan more than I have anyone, or anything, in my whole short life.

"Maybe that's exactly what I want." Before the gravity of his words can entirely sink in, he's already leapt to his feet and released all of his life energy in one devastating attack: "TRI-BEAM, HA!" A brilliant flare of energy leaps from his remaining hand and consumes Nappa. Tien stays alive just long enough to see that his attack failed to harm the Saiyan, before falling to the ground, dead.

Suddenly, a huge power erupts next to me as the kid, Gohan, leaps towards Nappa screaming, "STOP HURTING MY FRIENDS YOU BIG BULLY!" Nappa can't get out of the way in time, and Gohan head-butts him right in the place where Chiaotzu's sacrifice had cracked his armor. The armor shatters on impact, and its clear that the five-year-old had managed to actually wind the Saiyan, but for some reason the boy wasn't capitalizing on his advantage.

"Gohan, now's your chance! Attack him again before he can recover." Piccolo's advice goes unheeded, as the child seems too terrified of what Nappa's reaction will be to prevent the reaction from happening. By the time he's shaken himself out of his trance, Nappa recovers and smashes a backhanded fist into the side of his head, sending him crashing into the ground. Krillin attempts to help, only to meet an identical fate.

"It would seem your friend actually managed to make the Saiyan mad. And now there's only two of us still standing. Any ideas?" Piccolo gives me a shrewd look, as if deciding whether I'm strong enough to help. _As if I haven't proved that yet._

"Just remember to dodge." _The only advice he has and I've already received it from my Grandmother hundreds of times in training. Great._ I start to charge towards Nappa, but stop dead in my tracks when I see him pointing his arm towards Gohan's unconscious form. _He wouldn't. Not even someone that cruel…oh shit he did!_ Before I can even think about blocking the massive blast of energy heading towards the helpless boy, Piccolo is there standing in front of Gohan, blocking the attack with his own body. The light fades, and Piccolo falls to the ground, badly burnt. His last words are too faint for even my sensitive hearing to make out. And just like that, the only Earth warriors left alive are Krillin, Gohan, and myself. And Yamcha. But I'm the only one present and conscious, and I have two powerful aliens to deal with.

 _I wish this Goku guy would hurry up and get here. Alright, basic two-on-one combat: take out the weaker guy first, and keep him between you and the second guy. You can do this Lynn. You. Can. Do. This._ Nappa and I square off, and the battle of my life is on. I may have wounded him earlier with my light arrow, but it's clear that without the element of surprise, the two of us are almost evenly matched. Our brawl takes us back and forth across the field, with Vegeta standing off to the side, an almost bored expression on his face. Finally, Nappa breaks through my guard and knees me in the stomach. "Ouch. That actually hurt a little bit. Time to stop hiding."

Breathing deeply, I focus on my core the way Gran taught me, and pull all of my power from within me. The ground shakes slightly, some pebbles floating a few feet off the ground. Finally, with a sharp exhalation, my power-up ends, and the ground settles. Staring at me in shock, Nappa yells frantically back at Vegeta, "What does the scouter say about her power level!?"

"It's…it's over NINE THOUSAND!" The device shatters in his hand as he glares at me, daring me to challenge him. It's clear that despite my revealed power, he still believes he's the strongest. _And he's right. That power is ridiculous, and he's not even making an effort._ Nappa, on the other hand, reacts to the news with shock and rage.

"Nine thousand? That's impossible! 'Cause there's no way that you're stronger than me!" With that, our battle renews as he leaps at me. This time, it's clear that I outmatch the Saiyan, though just barely. Launching a flurry of elbow strikes and kicks, I steadily wear down his guard until it breaks. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, I smash my knee into his stomach and follow up with an uppercut to his chin that knocks him cleanly unconscious.

"Well, that wasn't very challenging." I stare down Vegeta, the wind blowing tufts of grass between us. Before either of us can make a move, a blur shoots between us, stopping to reveal a man riding on a cloud. Goku had arrived.

 **A/N: Well, here we have our first major canonical changes: Yamcha survives the battle, and Lynn defeats Nappa. Although, is Yamcha surviving really that big a deal? The answer may surprise you…or it might not. As always, thanks for reading, and tell your friends. ALL of them.**


	4. Prince's Pride

**A/N:** **For clarification: (text in parentheses) is modern-day Lynn commenting on her flashback,** _ **text in italics outside of quotes**_ **is flashback Lynn** **'** **s thoughts.** _ **Text in italics inside quotes**_ **denotes emphatic speaking, often for sarcasm.** __ **Similarly, regular text inside thoughts denotes emphasis and/or sarcasm. This will be clear when it happens.**

 **Long conversations will be divided as follows:**

" **First speaker"**

" **Second speaker"**

" **First"**

" **Second** **" etc. who is speaking will either be clear from context, or will be explicitly mentioned.**

 **I own only my original character, Lynn. The following is a non-profit, fan-based fanfiction. Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.**

Prince's Pride

What was my first reaction upon meeting Goku? It wasn't very flattering: _Oh God, he_ _'_ _s dressed like Yamcha. One of him is enough for the whole damned universe._ He won some points back, though, for ignoring both myself and Vegeta, and first going to help his friends.

"Krillin, wake up! I brought you a senzu bean!" _Again with the freaking beans! What could possibly be so important about—oh shit what just happened!?_ As soon as Krillin swallowed the bean, his wounds healed before my eyes, and he sat up looking like he had never been in the fight at all.

"Wow, good thing you got here when you did, Goku. Things weren't looking good without you." _And what does he call what I_ _'_ _ve been doing this whole time? Then again, I shouldn_ _'_ _t say no to free help._

"Gohan, wake up son. I brought you a bean, too." _Ah, so there_ _'_ _s the irresponsible parent who brought their five-year-old to a battle. Wonder where he_ _'_ _s been this whole time while I_ _'_ _ve been protecting his son._

The kid munches on the bean, and sure enough he pops right up looking no worse for wear. "Daddy! You're back!" The joy on Gohan's face is almost enough to make me forget about Vegeta. Almost.

"Ah, Kakarot, you finally decided to show your face." _Kakarot? I thought his name was Goku? These people have some serious explaining to do._

Goku/Kakarot stands tall, and locks eyes with Vegeta. He then completely ignores the Saiyan prince, and turns his gaze to me. "I can sense good intentions from you, so I assume you've been helping my friends. Whoever you are, thank you. But this isn't your fight now; I'll take it from here."

"Goku, wait! She's crazy strong; she took out the other Saiyan single-handedly, and Piccolo couldn't even scratch him. She must be as strong as you! She can help."

"If you say so Krillin. I have a feeling this battle will be a challenge, so I'll take all the help I can get." He looks at me again. "Are you wounded? I have one bean left."

I shake my head, "I'm fine. The big guy only scratched me. Honestly, he was kinda overrated."

This draws a laugh from Vegeta: "You might not have had much trouble with Nappa, but I'm five times as strong as he is! Even with the two of you together, you're no match for the Prince of all Saiyans. A low class warrior like you could never compete with an Elite like me Kakarot, even with a Majin on your side. I'll show you the legends aren't all they're cracked up to be!" _He really likes the sound of his own voice, doesn_ _'_ _t he? And there_ _'_ _s that word again. I need to figure out what Majin means, and how he knows more about me than I do. But how can I talk to him if he_ _'_ _s trying to kill the planet? Gah, focus on the now, Lynn. You can worry about trivial details like your identity later._

"I don't know what a 'Majin' is, but I do know that even a low-class warrior can surpass an elite, if he trains hard enough. You'll pay for hurting my friends!"

"Please, Kakarot, think before you speak. As if I would dirty my hands with the likes of them. Nappa here is the one that should be the recipient of your rage, pitiful as it is." At this, Nappa finally wakes up, and realizes he can't move.

"V-Vegeta! I can't move!" Apparently my uppercut to his jaw snapped his vertebrae. "She paralyzed me Vegeta! Help me, please!" His screams would draw pity, if I hadn't witnessed him kill three times already, and enjoy every second of it.

"I broke his back. He can't fight anymore. Just take your friend, and leave Earth in peace!" Vegeta narrows his eyes, considering this new development, and Goku and I both feel the evil emanating from him. _Somehow, I don_ _'_ _t think he knows the meaning of the word 'peace_ _'. I don'_ _t think we can avoid this fight._

Sure enough, his next words send a chill down my spine. "An interesting sentiment. But you make one mistake. Nappa is not my friend, and now he is not even worthy of being my subordinate." Quick as lightning, he grabs Nappa's legs and hurls him into the air, following up with a massive energy blast that quickly drowns out the panicked screams coming from the wounded Saiyan. By the time the light and noise fade, there's nothing left of the monster that killed Piccolo, Tien, and Chiaotzu. It should've been satisfying, but the display of senseless brutality left a sick taste in my mouth. _Killing the Saibaman was one thing, but this guy was an actual person! No matter how evil he was, once he was harmless he didn_ _'_ _t deserve that!_

Goku seems to feel the same way, as his fists clench and his power skyrockets. With a yell, a six-foot circle explodes around him as he reveals his power. _Jesus, he_ _'_ _s stronger than I am! With the two of us together, we might actually stand a chance. The again, Vegeta hasn_ _'_ _t shown his strength yet._

"Wow Goku, all the training with King Kai in Otherworld really paid off, huh?" _Wait, what? Are those beans hallucinogens? How does Krillin think Goku trained in other world? That_ _'_ _s where people go when they die!_

"Yeah dad, you and that girl might actually be able to beat Vegeta!"

"Gohan, Krillin, I need you to go back to Kame House. Now. This battle will be too much for you. Yamcha should be heading back there, too. He gave me the senzu beans when I stopped at the lookout, but he said there weren't any more. If you get hurt, there's nothing we can do."

"Sure thing, Goku! Come on Gohan, we're outmatched here." The boy seems reluctant to leave his father. I still don't understand why he, or anyone else, thinks he would be useful in a fight. _Sure, he managed to wind Nappa earlier, but then he was too scared to capitalize on it. Besides, Nappa was so weak compared to Vegeta that even with this kid's anger issues, I still don't think he could help much._ Finally, after a stern look from, Goku, the kid leaves with Krillin, flying as fast as they can away from the battlefield.

And then there were three. The only combatants on the field are Goku, Vegeta, and myself. The breeze blows between us, and I can almost picture tumbleweed blowing past. At first, there is only silence; the tense anticipation of seasoned warriors sizing each other up permeates the air. At last, Goku turns to me. "I don't know you, or how strong you are. But Krillin says you can help, and I trust Krillin. I need to thank you for saving Gohan, but that can wait. When this is over, you'll have to stick around so we can properly introduce ourselves."

At this, Vegeta lets out a derisive snort, "Can you converse in Otherworld? Because I can guarantee you that's where the two of you will be at the conclusion of this skirmish. And then I can move on to killing everyone on this worthless rock, and claim the Dragonballs for myself!" _Ugh, again with the dragon privates. I have to be missing something._ _Oh well, I can figure that out later._

With the prerequisite trash talking over, the battle can finally begin. As the stronger of our duo, Goku takes the lead as he squares off with Vegeta. I stand back and slightly off to the side, trying to work my way around to flank the evil Saiyan.

Without taking his eyes off of Goku, he snarls at me, "If you honestly think that will work, you are a poorer excuse for a warrior than I thought. You might as well both charge me at once so we can end this pitiful charade!" _Fine. If he wants a fight, I'll give him one!_

Ignoring Goku's warnings, I lunge towards Vegeta, not seeing the glint in his eye until it was too late. _Shit, he was expecting me to do that. I'm not experienced enough to be doing this, but I don't have a choice. Goku can't do it alone, and none of his friends can help._

Vegeta and I start to brawl across the field, neither of us landing a hit. Despite our apparent equality, it's clear that he's not using his full power. _This is all just a game to him, isn't it?_ With a cry of effort, I smash a punch through his guard, and manage to crack my knuckles against his cheekbone. In a flash, his cocky smirk disappears and he crescent kicks me across the face, sending me flying into the ground. _Owww. I think that punch hurt me more than it did him; all I really wounded was his pride._

"Hah! Looks like Majins aren't that strong after all. Maybe you creatures were enough to scare the ancients, but no one is a match for the Prince of all Saiyans!" _We get it already; you're an egotistical douche who knows more about my past than I do. Stop with the monologues and fight!_

Unfortunately, he does just that, diving towards me with a fist cocked back, fury alight in his eyes. Before he can reach me, Goku sends him flying sideways with an elbow to the ribs. Finally, the two-on-one advantage is starting to show. But Vegeta picks himself up without a scratch, and squares off with Goku again. _This is gonna be a long fight. Well, at least he's barely taller than I am. Heh, I can even look him in the eyes without craning my neck_ (For now).

He and Goku leap towards each other, starting to brawl while completely ignoring me. Goku seems to be holding his own, though it's obvious he's outclassed. Suddenly, he shouts something I can't make out from this distance, and his body is enveloped in a red glow. Now the tide of the battle turns, and Vegeta finds himself truly on the defensive for the first time. Somehow, Goku managed to amplify his power enough to overwhelm the prince. Leaping back into the air, I wait for an opening to jump back into the fight. My chance arrives when Goku lands a hammer-blow to the back of Vegeta's head, smashing him down towards me. Before he can reach the ground or recover, I knee him as hard as I can in the stomach, and hook my fist into his jaw.

Sadly, all the blow seems to do is make him even angrier. _Wow, these two are in an entirely different league from me. I guess five years of practice doesn't really compare to a lifetime of training and battle. Frankly, I'm amazed I'm even this strong._ Vegeta recovers all too quickly, and launches a ki blast at me from point-blank range. The sudden energy attack surprises me, and sends me flying back towards the ground; I land hard enough to knock nearly all the air from my lungs. 

While I try to remember how to breathe, the battle continues above me. Goku lands a hard kick to the side of Vegeta's head, sending him crashing into the side of a rock spire. The impact is so forceful that he actually creates a cave in the rock, and he seems to be stunned. Taking advantage of the opportunity to catch my breath, I rejoin Goku in the air. "How did you increase your strength so much!? And what's with the red glow?" Before my eyes, the glow fades, and his power drops to what it was when he arrived.

"It's called the Kaio-ken technique. Essentially, it multiplies my strength, speed, stamina, and sense while active. The longer I maintain it, or the stronger I make it, the more damage it does to my body. I have to be very careful with how powerful I make myself, but Vegeta is so strong that I don't think I have much choice." _Wow, that seems like an awfully convenient technique._

"You've got to teach me that some time." Before he can respond, a cry of pure rage echoes across the wasteland, and the rock spire explodes. Vegeta stands in the rubble, eyes alight with fury. His armor's shoulder pauldron is broken in half, and his chest plate is cracked. He stalks towards us, all cockiness and arrogance gone. Instead, there is only the clear desire to kill, and to erase all witnesses of his shame at being wounded by a low-class warrior.

Goku readies himself to fight again, but without using the Kaio-ken. _I guess it really is taking a toll on his body. Like he said, though, I don't think we have a choice._ Sighing, I pull Asahi from its sheath on my back. I would prefer to fight without a weapon if my opponent is unarmed, because Gran always taught me to act with honor, especially in combat. _Sorry Gran, but I need any advantage I can get this time._ The next time Vegeta and Goku are locked in a brawl, I dart in behind the former and slash downward at his back with the ancient blade. To my surprise, and the prince's pain, it actually cuts right through his otherworldly armor, leaving a visible wound that begins to weep blood.

Smashing his fist into Goku's face, he knocks him far back before turning slowly to face me, face as emotionless as stone. Before I can even think of raising an arm to block his attack, I find myself flying through the sky, katana long gone from my grip. _Well, shit. I think I_ may _have pissed him off a little._ Goku still seems dazed by the last blow, so I can't count on him for help. It's clear Vegeta has begun to use his full power, in an effort to end the fight quickly. Catching myself in the air, I settle into a modified fighting stance that takes into account the lack of ground beneath me, and prepare to fight Vegeta on my own.

He floats slowly towards me, that strange expressionless look still on his face. _He's probably never actually been pushed in his life. Spoiled brat._ In a blink, he closes the distance and lashes out with a backhanded blow to my face. I barely manage to block, but the impact still feels like it almost broke my arm. Ducking his next blow, I whip my elbow into his ribs, and try to slide around him while he's winded. Unfortunately, my blow fails to actually wind him, and he catches my wrist before I can flank him.

Rearing back, he slams his forehead into mine, whipping my head back and making me black out for a split-second. In that split-second, something happened that caused me to once again be flying backwards through the air, this time sporting even more contusions. I haven't even regained my balance before he's speeding towards me again. This time, I'm ready: when he's about fifteen yards away, I focus my ki for an attack that I may or may not have ever actually tested (I hadn't). _I_ really _hope this works._ "BABURU-GAMU!" A sphere of magenta energy envelops the Saiyan, trapping him inside. Before he can break free, I clench my fist, and it starts to contract, squeezing the breath out of him. Sadly, he manages to punch a hole in the side before he can fall unconscious from asphyxiation. Not sadly, this causes the energy that makes up the sphere to spark and explode, tossing him through the air like a ragdoll.

"Hah! Let's hear it for childhood immaturity!" As embarrassing as it is, I had come up with that technique when I was around fifteen, but I was too ashamed of its silliness to tell Gran. _What can I say, I like my bubblegum. Why not make an attack that resembles it? I can't believe that actually worked!_ _Ohshitwait he's getting up. Notgoodnotgoodnotgood._

Sure enough, Vegeta picks himself up out of the crater he made in the ground, and literally shakes with rage. At this point, Goku finally recovers and joins me in the air. "I like food as much as the next guy, but naming an attack after it? Don't you think that's taking it a bit far?"

"Well, what's your attack named after then?"

"…A turtle."

Before I can come up with a witty retort to go along with that ridiculous statement, Vegeta starts shouting up at us: "FINE! If you want to play that way, I'll just destroy this whole damned planet! I don't need the Dragonballs!" _This_ again? _Someone seriously needs to explain this to me. How does Vegeta know and I don't? He's not even from this planet! 'Course, neither am I…._

Rudely interrupting my thought process, Vegeta shoots into the sky with a flash a purple aura, stopping about a hundred yards above us. Literally howling with rage, a ball of purple energy starts to build up around him. "Say goodbye, Kakarot! Even if you dodge this, the earth will be destroyed!"

Next to me, Goku drops into a strange pose: one foot in front of the other, with his hands drawn back to one side and cupped, the palms together. In between his hands, a ball of blue ki forms, and he starts to power up again. "KA-ME-HA-ME…." With each syllable, the ball of power grows bigger and brighter, as he stares up at Vegeta with determination in his eyes.

Vegeta, meanwhile, has charged _his_ ball of ki, and releases his energy towards Goku with a mighty shout: "GALICK GUN!"

Goku retaliates by finishing his technique: pushing his hands forward and shooting a huge beam of pure blue energy up to meet Vegeta's with one last syllable: "…HA!"

The two beams of energy, blue and purple, meet halfway between the two warriors, colliding with a colossal explosion of pure power. Vegeta seems to be winning the reverse tug-of-war, until that red aura surrounds Goku again. "Kaio-ken, times three!"

It's not enough; the two fighters have only reached a stalemate. Thankfully, Goku isn't alone in this battle. I power up to my absolute limit, head-tails waving around my face as the rocks around me start to float with the sheer power build-up. Drawing my invisible bow-and-arrow, I add my energy to Goku's: "HI-KARI YA-JIRUSHI!" The magenta arrow flies through the center of Goku's ki wave, mixing with the blue to form a color ironically similar to Vegeta's, and the resultant force overpowers Vegeta's attack. The energy rockets towards him, and with no way to stop it he is propelled upwards, trapped in a cocoon of power. His screams of pain and fury echo down for what seems like an eternity, before they finally peter out.

Goku drops to his hands and knees, gasping for breath. I wish I could say the same, but instead I'm curled up in a much less dignified fetal position, though I am also gasping for breath. "Well, it took everything we had, but we finally beat him!" My inexperience shines through once again, as Goku responds to my statement with an exasperated look.

"We hurt him, but he's not gone yet. You should still be able to sense his energy; you just need to refocus. After years of fighting, you get used to sensing energy and still being able to focus on the battle." He stares off into the sky, no doubt searching for Vegeta.

"But...but we gave everything we had! If he's not dead yet, what are we supposed to do now!?"

"We give more." That's it. There's no doubt. No fear. No hint of desperation or panic. Just pure determination and righteous anger.

Before I can reply, a surge of power from above signifies the return of Vegeta, as he slowly descends towards us. His armor is cracked and missing pieces, and his body is beaten and bruised. Despite this, his eyes shine with uncontrollable, insatiable, rage.

"This…this changes…nothing!" Vegeta's words come out as an animalistic snarl. He floats down to the ground about a hundred yards away from us, quivering with fury. "If I can't defeat the two of you as I am now, I'll just have to become a Great Ape!"

"Goku, do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

I receive no answer. At the sound of the word 'Ape', Goku went absolutely still, his mind locked on something from his past.

Vegeta, meanwhile, is flying around the battlefield, looking up at the sky in confusion. _Ok, why did they both just go batshit crazy?_ Suddenly, he stops dead in the air and smirks at Goku. "Oh, very clever Kakarot. Destroying the moon so that I can't transform. You're smarter than I gave you credit for." _Wait, what? The freaking moon is gone!? Why would Goku do that? Isn't that really bad for like, a bunch of scientific reasons that I don't understand because I never went to school?_

Goku seems just as confused as I am. "Why would I destroy the moon? How would that help anything?"

Vegeta's mouth drops open in shock. "You mean to tell me that you have no idea where the true power of a Saiyan comes from? Do you not know your own heritage Kakarot?" _Wait, what? Goku is one of these guys? Is everyone on Earth actually secretly an alien?_ "It looks like you were actually even stupider than I gave you credit for. Someone must have known, though; I can't find the moon anywhere…No matter, all true Saiyans learn from an early age how to make artificial moons." _I am so hopelessly confused. I really hope all people aren't like this or I'm never leaving the forest again._

Vegeta clenches his fist, and hurls a small sphere of energy into the air. It hangs there, pulsing, until he speaks: "Burst open and mix!" The sphere implodes, and in its place hangs a moon. Goku panics, trying to destroy it, but it's too late: Vegeta's tail unfurls from around his waist, and he starts to shake violently. Before my eyes, he begins to grow, fur sprouting all over his body. Surprisingly, his shattered armor grows with him. Finally, the rapid metamorphosis ends, and a giant monkey stands in his place. _What the freaking hell!? He's like a freaking were-monkey! Then again, I look like I'm wearing a squid for a hat, so maybe I shouldn't judge._

Goku uses the Kaio-ken again and lunges at Vegeta, but he gets swatted aside like s fly. _Christ, he's so fast! He's grown at least fifty times his original size but he didn't lose any speed!_

I leap into the fray, trying to help Goku, but all I succeed in doing is getting flung through the air like a rag doll. Smashing through a pile of rocks, I lie dazed for a minute. After regaining my senses, I realize I'm right next to my katana. _Well isn't that convenient. His tail seems pretty important; I wonder what'll happen if he loses it..._

Unfortunately, I see no opening for me to get behind him and slice off his tail. All I can see is Goku getting his ass kicked across the battlefield. It's clear that we stand no chance against Vegeta while he's in this form. Suddenly, Vegeta grabs Goku in his massive hands (paws?) and starts to literally squeeze the life out of him.

My woeful lack of combat experience shines through once again as I hover, paralyzed with indecision. Mercifully, help arrives for Goku in the form of a tiny blur, roughly the size of a certain five-year-old with devastating anger management issues. "STOP BEATING UP MY DADDY!"

Amazingly, Gohan head-butts the giant monkey hard enough to break his grip on Goku, who falls to the ground broken and unconscious. Unfortunately, Vegeta's attention is now focused solely on Gohan. The little boy stands, frozen in terror, as the evil Saiyan slowly approaches. Once again, someone other than myself comes to the rescue as Krillin appears and hovers right in front of Vegeta's face. "SOLAR FLARE!" A brilliant flash erupts from Krillin's hands and blinds the Ape.

Finally, I see my opportunity. Diving towards the ground, I lift Asahi high above my head for a downward slash. At the last second, I bring my arms down with all my might, and cut Vegeta's tail off at the base.

The howl of pain, fury, and frustration that rends the air is the worst thing I have ever heard, and the thought of it will forever send shivers down my spine. As soon as the gigantic tail hits the ground, Vegeta starts to shrink back to his original size and shape. Gohan, Krillin, and I float side by side in the air, watching mutely as Vegeta lies on the ground, panting. Goku wakes up and calls out to Krillin, who goes over to join his crippled friend.

Suddenly, Vegeta's head snaps up and he locks eyes with me. All I can see is hate and broken pride. He lunges forwards, but not at me. The monster is going after the five-year-old. Surprisingly, Gohan doesn't back down this time. The two begin an admittedly one-sided brawl, as Goku continues speaking with Krillin. _Dos he not see his own son getting the snot beat out of him? Looks like I have to do his job for him and save Gohan. Again. That conversation with Krillin better be important_ (it was).

I leap into the fray once more, blocking a nasty left hook meant for Gohan's right temple. Vegeta retaliates without even looking, sending a fist toward my face. Unlike our previous clashes, I block this one fairly easily. _Huh. Guess the constant fighting is finally taking its toll. But why don't I feel tired?_ I don't have time to ponder this little mystery at the moment, as I have to focus on the fight. Snapping my attention back to the Saiyan, I manage to land an uppercut that actually lifts him a few inches off the ground. Sadly, he picks himself up with little trouble, and the battle rages on.

 _I really hope Krillin and Goku are making a plan over there, 'cause I got nothin' over here. All I can do is keep Vegeta focused on me instead of Gohan._ _Seriously, I need to talk to Goku about basic parenting skills. Which is odd, seeing as how I've never even had so much as a pet turtle._

Suddenly, I feel an immense surge of power coming from Krillin's direction. Glancing past Vegeta, I see the little man standing on a rock with a sphere of pure, blue, energy suspended above his upturned palm. _So that's what he and Goku were doing. There's no way even Goku could create an attack that powerful at this point, though, so where did he get the energy?_ Just as Krillin throws the orb, Vegeta catches my gaze and turns his head. Unfortunately, his battle-hardened reflexes allow him to dodge the attack, and it hurtles straight towards me, with no time for me to copy Vegeta. As I close my eyes and prepare for oblivion, I feel a small impact on my side and find myself sliding along the ground.

I look up, and see the bravest (and only) five-year-old I have ever known standing defiantly where I used to be. _Gohan! He's gonna take the attack for me! But why would he do that?_

He braces for the hit he knows he can't possibly take, when the unthinkable happens: the sphere of power bounces right off the little guy's hands and rockets towards Vegeta's back! This time, nothing alerts the evil bastard, and the blue orb slams right into his back, in the exact spot I slashed earlier with my katana. As he screams in soul-wrenching agony, the attack propels him into the sky, not unlike Goku's beam had earlier. Despite the apparent success of our efforts, at this point I couldn't find it in myself to believe the fight was over.

Sure enough, about thirty seconds later Vegeta crawls out of a new crater in the ground and prepares to resume our never-ending battle. Before anyone can move, a guttural roar pierces the air, coming from…Gohan? _Ohshitnotyoutoothisisnotfair!_ Where Gohan stood not a minute earlier now stands a miniature version of the monster Vegeta transformed himself into before I cut off his tail. Only Gohan's clothes didn't grow with him like Vegeta's armor did. Awkward.

 _But Gohan didn't have a tail! Though if Goku is a Saiyan, I guess that makes the kid at least half Saiyan. Maybe they don't need the tails after all? Oh well, no time to wonder right now!_ Gohan doesn't seem to be able to control his Ape form like Vegeta could, as he smashes everything in sight. One such reckless attack hits me square across the face, sending me flying, and making me lose my grip on my sword,again.

Vegeta seems too battered by whatever Krillin through at him to do more than sluggishly dodge Gohan's attacks. Krillin lies on the ground next to Goku, utterly drained of strength. All hope of stopping the five-year-old King Kong seems lost until his tail inexplicably falls to the ground. The giant monkey changes back into a little boy, but not until after he lands on Vegeta, crushing him into the dirt. The smoke clears, and our savior is revealed.

 _You have got to be freaking shitting me!_ Yamcha stands there in a triumphant pose, with my katana held above his head. "Looks like beauty didn't love the beast after all, huh guys."

I try not to dignify that with a response, but the movie buff inside me combines with the honorable ninja teachings from Gran to overpower my will: "That's not even the line you insufferable simpleton! And how dare you wield _my_ sword without permission!" _Nevermind the fact that if he hadn't intervened we would all be dead, that's_ my _katana dammit!_

"Hey, if I hadn't shown up, you would all be dead!" _Yeah, great, rub it in a little more why don't you?_ In the midst of our argument, neither of us notices Vegeta crawling along the ground towards a space pod that conveniently appeared near the wounded Saiyan. I do, however, notice Krillin threatening to kill Vegeta with, you guessed it, my goddam katana! _What is it with these people and touching other people's stuff? Ohshitwait, if Krillin kills Vegeta, I may never find out what I am!_

I dart in front of him, standing between him and Vegeta with my arms out. "Krillin, stop! You can't kill him."

"What's wrong with you!? He's responsible for the deaths of three of my friends! He needs to pay for what he's done."

"I understand that, but he may be the only one who knows what I am and where I came from! I need him alive to learn who I am. I promise you, we will find him, and once he tells me what I need to know, he will pay. But he's in no shape to talk, and we're in no shape to go after him. Let him go for now, we'll find him when we're stronger."

"Why should I listen to you!? You show up out of nowhere and think you can give me orders? You didn't just lose three friends!"

"No she didn't. But I did." Goku had recovered enough to shout across the field from where he lies, paralyzed and crippled. "Let him go Krillin. All three of the friends we lost today used to be evil. They changed when we gave them the chance to. Everyone, even Vegeta, deserves that chance."

The katana falls from Krillin's hand, and clatters into the dust. Vegeta can't even gather the energy to scoff, and merely crawls into his pod and blasts off into space, leaving the Earth far behind, his mission unfinished, his body broken, and his pride destroyed.

Krillin and I collapse onto the ground, leaving all of the Earth's heroes unconscious or crippled. Dimly, I can hear the sound of engines overhead, before I pass out, wondering if I'll ever wake up again.

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while longer guys, I was sick for a couple of days, I had a wedding I had to go to, and I'm getting ready to graduate from high school, so it's been a busy few days. But we made it! Vegeta is defeated, Yamcha is still an idiot, and our heroes have more or less survived. What will Lynn do when she recovers? Find out next time on Hidden Power! Follow, favorite, and review!**


	5. Recovery

**A/N:** **For clarification: (text in parentheses) is modern-day Lynn commenting on her flashback,** _ **text in italics outside of quotes**_ **is flashback Lynn** **'** **s thoughts.** _ **Text in italics inside quotes**_ **denotes emphatic speaking, often for sarcasm.** **Similarly, regular text inside thoughts denotes emphasis and/or sarcasm. This will be clear when it happens.**

 **Long conversations will be divided as follows:**

" **First speaker"**

" **Second speaker"**

" **First"**

" **Second** **" etc. who is speaking will either be clear from context, or will be explicitly mentioned.**

 **I own only my original character, Lynn. The following is a non-profit, fan-based fanfiction. Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release.**

Recovery

 _Ugh, my head feels like someone's trying to work their way out from inside, with an ice pick._ Opening my eyes, panic shoots through me, and I leap to my feet. _Where am I? What happened to the others? Why is everything white?_ Sure enough, surrounding me is an endless void of pure white, stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions.

 _Okay, this is majorly weird. Am I dead? I didn't think I got hurt that badly in the fight…_

Suddenly, a piercing pain drives through my skull, and I see a fiery light glowing in the distance. Making my way closer, my breath catches as I gaze upon something I had only heard of in Gran's stories. _It…it looks just like an angel!_ The creature before me bears all the telltale signs of Gran's supposedly invisible, holy, guardians; but with none of the majesty. This angel is curled in the fetal position, her wings limp and ragged behind her, her fires dull and sputtering.

"Are you okay? Please, I don't know where I am or how to get home. Am I dead? Can you help me? Do _you_ need _my_ help?" My frantic pleas are met with only muffled sobs. _I thought angels were supposed to be powerful and invincible. This one's been through the wringer. Or all of the wringers._

Before I can approach any more, her head lifts, and her golden eyes lock with my violet ones. Her mouth opens, and not just one voice speaks, but rather a choir of beautiful voices permeates the air around my ear-holes: "Save me."

"How can I save you? I don't know where we are, or how to get out."

Her eyes fill with fear, but when I glance over my shoulder, I see we are still alone. "Save me, please!"

Another spike of pain drives its way into my brain, and I close my eyes with the intensity of it. When the reopen, the angel and the white world are gone, and in their place is a clean, hospital room (also white) and way, way too many faces. Glancing around, I see Krillin, Gohan, and Yamcha standing around the room; Goku lying in the bed next to mine, and a whole bunch of people I'd never seen before.

"Oh good, you're awake!" The doctor seems relieved; as if there was a chance I wasn't going to make it. Which is weird, considering I wasn't even hurt that badly. "You should be fine now that you've regained consciousness, so I'll leave you alone with your friends."

No one speaks for a few moments, until Goku addresses me from the other bed: "Thank you for all your help. If you hadn't fought with us, more than three of my friends would be dead right now."

"Don't mention it; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I stood by and did nothing to stop those evil brutes."

"Now that the situation has calmed down, we can finally introduce ourselves properly. My name is Goku, and these are my friends and family. You already met my son, Gohan, and this is my wife, Chi-Chi." With the last words, a black-haired woman steps forward, clad in a dress reminiscent of a kimono.

"Thank you for saving my son. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

"It's really nothing to speak of, ma'am, and your husband did most of the fighting." My words make Goku blanch and try to hide under his sheets as Chi-Chi turns the most deadly glare I've ever seen on him.

"GOKU! We've been over this! Your obsession with fighting has finally hurt my poor little boy!"

"In his defense, the fight kinda needed to happen. If we hadn't fought those Saiyans, the whole world would've been destroyed. I think a few broken bones is a small price to pay."

"Yes, well you would think that wouldn't you? Seeing as you're the only one of the fighters who wasn't injured, unlike my family!"

"What are you talking about? I took hits just the same as Goku and Gohan!" But as I take stock of my injuries, I discover Chi-Chi is right. I am completely unharmed, just as I was before the battle with the Saiyans. _What the Hell? I know Vegeta broke some of my ribs; I could feel them snap. What happened?_ "How am I unharmed?"

This time, the old man in the corner of the room speaks up, "When we found you and the others, you were in pretty bad shape. But as we were bringing you to the hospital, your bones stitched themselves back together and your cuts healed. I've never seen anything like it. Shame it happens too slow to be much use in a fight."

 _Well that would've been nice to know earlier. Still, can't really complain about the ability to heal myself, no matter how slow it is._

"I'm Master Roshi, by the way. I taught Goku, Yamcha, and Krillin how to fight years ago." That explains why they all dress similarly.

"And my name is Korin." _Did…did that cat just talk?_

"I'm sorry, but did that cat just talk?"

"I did, and my name is Korin. Not 'that cat'." _Well I'll be damned. Why shouldn't they have a talking cat? They had a green friend, I'm a pink squid-girl thing called a Majin, and Goku and Gohan are Saiyans. Why the hell would there be humans in this group?_

"Hi! I'm Bulma." This speaker is a blue-haired girl who looks about the same age as Goku. _Wonder what she does._ "My dad and I designed the plane that we picked you up in. He owns Capsule Corp. I dunno if you've heard of us, we're only the biggest company on the planet!" _Aaaaand, there it is. Stuck up rich girl. But she said she helped with the designing, so she seems smart too._

"Looks like the only person you haven't met is Yajirobe. He uses a katana like you, Lynn. He's a ninja!" I follow Krillin's pointing finger and see the most un-ninja like man in the world. I kid you not, he had to have been as wide as he was tall, which was about five and a half feet. Despite his katana, sandals, and kimono, it was clear he wasn't a fighter.

"That man sullies the title of ninja. He doesn't deserve the katana he wields. No proper warrior would let his body swell so much; he looks like a balloon!"

"Well look lady, I didn't walk in here and insult you, so maybe you need the lesson in honor and humility." _Shit, he's right. I need to remember my lessons with Gran._

"My apologies. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge." _Maybe not, but I guarantee you my judgment was right._ "I'm sorry I couldn't save your other three friends. They seemed like good people."

At my words, the people in the room all look down at their feet. Gohan seems the most upset. "If only Mr. Piccolo hadn't jumped in front of me, we would still have the Dragonballs and we could just wish them back!"

"Ok, could someone _please_ explain why everyone keeps talking about disgusting parts of dragons?"

Everyone turns and stares at me in shock for a moment, before bursting out into laughter. Goku looks at me with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, we're just so used to everyone knowing about the Dragonballs. Let me explain. Our friend Piccolo, the green one, used to be fused with another of his race named Kami. The two split years ago, with Piccolo being the evil half. My friends and I convinced him to change, but that's another story. Anyway, Kami was the guardian of earth. To help us protect it, he created the seven magical Dragonballs. When you collect all of them, you can summon the eternal dragon Shenron to grant you one wish. Vegeta and Nappa came here looking for them."

"Well that's…odd. But great! We can just get those and wish your friends back!"

"Unfortunately, we can't. First, because of the bond Kami shares with Piccolo, if one dies other does also. And if Kami dies, the Dragonballs disappear. So, with Piccolo dead, the Dragonballs are no more and our friends can't be wished back. Second, you can only be wished back once. If they hadn't disappeared, we still couldn't wish back Chiaotzu because we already have before."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose someone."

"You have my condolences. On that note, maybe you'd like to introduce yourself to those who haven't met you yet?"

I glance around the room again, and see expressions ranging from curiosity to gratitude to grief, but no distrust. "My name is Lynn. I was raised in the woods near Orange Star City by my adoptive grandmother, who died last year. I don't know what I am, but that Saiyan Vegeta called me a 'Majin'. My Gran was a ninja, which is where I got my katana, and the sense of honor that drove me to help you guys. She's also the one who trained me to fight."

Before I can continue my story, Krillin jumps up. "Guys wait a minute! When Vegeta and Nappa first noticed Piccolo, they called him a Namekian!"

Thankfully, I'm not the only one who seems rather confused ass to why this is important. Gohan pipes up from behind him, "Krillin, how dos that help us?"

"It helps us, Gohan, because if Piccolo is a Namekian, that means Kami is too. And if there are other people like Kami…."

"Then there are other people who can make Dragonballs!" Gohan interrupts Krillin with a joyous laugh. "But how can we get to his planet, or even find it?" All eyes turn to Bulma.

"Well don't look at me! Sure, my dad and I can build a ship to get us there, but there's no way we'll be able to find a previously unknown planet!"

Everyone lapses into silence again, contemplating this new challenge. Despite Bulma's confession of being unable to locate Piccolo's home world, nobody seems as dejected as they had five minutes ago. These people can seize on one spark of hope and cling to it with everything they've got. I've never met such determined people before. Granted, I've only met my grandmother, that guy who shot me in the woods all those years ago, and the Saiyans, so that's not saying much.

The quiet is shattered when a new voice speaks up from over by the window, "I can help you get to Namek." _Ok, how many freaking aliens are on this rock? And…is that a flying carpet? Sheesh, these people have weird friends. And coming from me, that's saying something._

Floating outside the hospital room on a Persian rug is what appears to be a genie. Standing a little taller than Krillin, with black skin and red lips, and wearing kimono pants and a half vest, the being makes for a curious sight. Hopping off his carpet into the room, he continues speaking, "I can show you the ship that Kami used to come to Earth. It will remember how to get to Namek."

Perhaps noticing my befuddled expression, Goku introduces the stranger, "Lynn, this is Mister Popo. He lived on the Lookout with Kami, and he helped train me years ago to fight King Piccolo, Kami's evil half, and he trained the others recently to fight the Saiyans."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Lynn. I observed your battle with the Saiyans from the Lookout. Your bravery deserves commendation. Now, as I was saying, it is possible for you to travel to Namek in Kami's old ship, and you can use those coordinates to send a second ship when Goku has recovered fully."

"Well wait a minute, why wouldn't we all go together?" Bulma seems concerned with the prospect of anyone going to Namek without Goku.

"Goku will not recover for months, whereas Krillin, Gohan, and Lynn will be ready to go in a matter of days. It is entirely likely that Vegeta will have made the same logical leaps as we did, which means he will be headed to Namek as well. Therefore, time is of the essence."

"Well…I suppose we don't have much choice. So now we have to decide who's going. Obviously me, since I'll be the only one who can fly the ship and set up communications once we get there. I'll also be able to build another dragon radar calibrated to look for Namek's Dragonballs. If Goku can't go yet, and Vegeta may be on the hunt as well, I need someone to protect me."

Gohan, Krillin, Yamcha, and I all stand at the same time. The other three look at me in surprise. "I'd like to go with you, if that's alright. I don't really have anything here to stay for, and Vegeta knows more about my past than anyone I've met so far, so I'd like to try to get some answers. Not to mention that if we get the Dragonballs, I can wish my Gran back."

Krillin seems ecstatic, probably because I'm easily as strong as the three of them combined. "Of course you can come! After everything you did to help us against the Saiyans, you're pretty much part of the group already!"

"I don't care what the rest of you do, but my baby boy is not going on any more adventures! He's going to stay home and study so he can be a responsible and productive member of society!" Chi-Chi glares at everyone in the room, daring someone to argue. Surprisingly, Gohan stands up for himself.

"I'm going."

"You most certainly are not! Honestly, your father has spoiled your mind with his obsession with fighting. You are going to get an education and I won't allow you to be put in danger anymore."

"I don't care about studying! It's my fault Piccolo died, which means it's my fault we can't wish back the others! I'm going to Namek, I'm fixing my mistake, and you can't stop me!" The five-year-old stands straight, fists clenched by his sides. It's clear he won't let his mother stand between him and his goal.

"Well. If that's how you feel, I suppose there's nothing I can do about it." She refuses to look at her son, instead turning to face his father. "When you get better and you go off to join them, I hope you realize that you'll be leaving me alone. No, don't try to apologize. I know I can't keep you from a fight. Just know this, if you don't bring our son home safe, you'll find a fight you won't be able to win." She storms out of the hospital room, ostensibly to vent her frustration somewhere else.

Mr. Popo, meanwhile, speaks up again, "I am only able to take one person to see Kami's ship, as more weight would cause my carpet to fall from the sky. I would suggest that Bulma accompany me, as she would best be able to understand its workings."

Without much discussion, the group agrees and Bulma flies off with the genie. The rest of us, with the exception of Goku, head to what they call Kame House, which is apparently where the old man lives. As we leave the hospital, my mysterious dream about the angel flits through my head again, but I push it aside in favor of small talk with my new friends.

One Week Later

"Guys, Bulma's almost here!" Opening my eyes, I roll off the bed and stretch the sleep from my limbs. _I've had that dream about the angel three times in the past week, not counting the first one. It's gotta be important. But what could it mean? Oh well, worry about that later._

Walking out of the house, I squint my eyes into the tropical sun, l search the horizon for any sign of the strange ship Mr. Popo showed Bulma that's going to take us to Namek. I should have been looking up. Without warning, the trees start swaying and the sand starts blowing around, as if a helicopter was hovering overhead. With a loud _THUNK_ , a strange looking ship falls straight down to land next to the house, about five yards away from me. _Well that must be it. I'm gonna have to talk to Bulma about her driving._

The ship looks decades old, which I suppose it was. About twenty feet tall, it stood on four spindly legs, with three bubble-like windows in the front, and little spines shooting out from the front and back. The white exterior was obscured in patches by moss, though there were no signs of rust or wear. A little platform lowers from the bottom, and Bulma strides across the sand to meet Krillin, Yamcha, and myself.

"Hey guys! Gohan's not here yet?"

"Chi-Chi should be bringing him any minute now. She wanted to make sure he brought his homework with him." Krillin can't quite make it through his sentence with a straight face, and neither can anyone else. _We're going to another planet to gather seven magical objects to summon an all-powerful dragon, and the poor kid has to do his homework? Sheesh, I'm glad I grew up in a forest._

"Oh well. A few more minutes won't hurt. In the meantime, I've got something for you, Lynn." Bulma beckons me over to a bag she pulls put of the ship, and unzips it to reveal…something.

"What's that?" She pulls it out of the bag and unfolds the harness so I can see it's armor of some sort.

"You wear it over your tank-top. It's got shoulder pads, a sheath for your katana, and a holster for the dragon radar I made! That way you won't lose anything if we get into a fight on Namek. I based it off the suit I wore back when I was searching for Earth's Dragonballs with Goku." I slide my arms through the straps, and cinch the buckles tight. To my surprise, it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything over my top at all.

"Wow, thanks Bulma! This is great, it fits perfectly. What exactly is this dragon radar?"

"It's a device I made that tracks the Dragonballs so we don't have to search blindly all over the planet." She hands me a device shaped like a stopwatch, with a green surface and a grid of lines on it. "It won't show anything right now, because Earth's Dragonballs are gone. Once we get to Namek, I can set it to lock onto theirs instead." _That's awfully convenient. Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Lynn._ I place the radar in the holster that hangs by my left side, and slide Asahi into the sheath across my back.

"Why wouldn't you want to hold onto you own invention, Bulma?"

"Well, I figure that since you're the strongest in the group, you should be the one to carry it. That way it won't get lost or stolen if we get into a fight."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but if we run into a healed Vegeta before Goku gets there, I don't think we stand much chance." Everyone grimaces, as if we all had the same thought but nobody wanted to mention it.

Krillin's optimism perks back up, though, "Well then, we'll just avoid him. If he even shows up; we don't know for sure that he will!" _Yeah, something tells me we'll be running into Vegeta again for sure before this adventure ends._

Master Roshi comes out of the house to see us off, but upon realizing our final crewmember hasn't yet arrived, he changes course to approach me instead. "Have you been practicing the technique I taught you, Lynn?"

"Umm. Maybe?" Surprisingly, he doesn't seem upset. _I guess after training someone like Goku, you get used to poor discipline._ "I tried to focus, I really did, but we're going to SPACE!"

"Understandable, but without practice, you will never master the Turtle Destruction Wave." _Seriously, who came up with that name? Then again, one of my techniques is literally named 'Bubblegum'. Maybe turtles aren't so lame._ My thoughts are interrupted by the old master, "Well, since Gohan isn't here yet, you can practice now. Take care to aim _away_ from the house. Goku had some trouble remembering that particular rule."

 _Might as well, Lynn, you've got nothing better to do._ Striding across the sand to the edge of the ocean, I square my shoulders to the sea. I slide my right foot back, and cup my hands by my right side. Taking a deep breath, I focus my ki from my core into the air between my hands. As the energy builds, I recite the incantation Roshi and Krillin taught me: "KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!" With the last syllable, I push my hands forward, inverting them so the right is now above the left, and force the gathered ki away from me in a powerful beam. Unfortunately, the magenta energy falls on the ground a mere ten feet from me and sputters out into the sand.

 _Damn. Well that's embarrassing._ Despite my failure, Master Roshi seems shocked, as does Krillin. Yamcha, true to himself, wasn't paying attention. "How did you do that!? Nobody should be able to produce that much energy without any practice!"

"But I didn't manage to do anything! It just kinda…fizzled."

"Well obviously you won't be able to produce a full-power Kamehameha wave on your first try. Only Goku was able to do that, and his was only strong enough to destroy a small car. You've seen what he can do now, in the fight against Vegeta."

Any further practice or discussion is prevented by the arrival of Gohan and Chi-Chi. _Finally. Now we can get on the proverbial road and head to Namek. Heh, it's a good thing space doesn't have actual roads, or they might need to blow up the Earth to make room for one._ I snicker to myself, and then out loud as I catch sight of Gohan. Fortunately, I don't appear rude because Krillin burst out into hysterical laughter that easily drowned out my giggling.

The kid is sporting one of those bowl haircuts that you never actually see in real life. Not to mention the oversized blazer and bowtie his mother must have forced him into. Topping the outfit off is a canteen that looks suspiciously like it's never been used before. Gohan trudges across the sand towards us, lugging a backpack as big as he is. _That must be his homework. I'm gonna make a guess right now and say none of it is getting done on this trip._

"Hey guys. I'm ready to go." The poor guy seems anxious to get as far away from his mother as possible, in this case all the way to another planet. To my surprise, Chi-Chi follows him over to the ship and dumps a heavy back into my arms.

"Oof. What's this for?" Opening the duffel, I look inside to find…textbooks. _What. Is. Happening?_

"Gohan here told me that you were only seventeen! That makes you high school age young lady, and being raised in a forest is no excuse to be uneducated. If my little boy is going to be flying through space and fighting, then it will at least be with someone he can have intelligent discussions with. I expect your work to be done as well when you return." Somehow, the threatening glare she gives me at that moment is scarier than facing Vegeta in his giant Ape form.

Any thought of protest dies before it reaches my lips as I hurriedly take the duffel and climb onto the platform below the ship. After a few quick goodbyes, Bulma, Yamcha, Krillin, and Gohan join me, and the platform rise into the belly of the ship above. A few glances around the interior reveal only a few small rooms, branching off from one slightly larger central room. _No room for sparring in here. Looks like the only training we'll be doing is workouts._

Bulma strides over to a central console and straps herself into what has to be the pilot's chair. "Alright guys, the journey will take around a month, so try not to kill each other or break the ship out of boredom."

"A month!? What are we supposed to do for a whole month?" Yamcha and myself quickly echo Krillin's sentiment. Gohan, meanwhile, sits in the corner of the room with his schoolwork. _Jeez, is he actually gonna do that? Chi-Chi must be even scarier than I thought._

"Well, Gohan and Lynn can do their schoolwork, I can read, and you two can train."

"Excuse you, I think I'll be training with Krillin and Yamcha. I had enough school with my grandmother, thank you very much."

'Well alright then, but I wouldn't want to be you when we get back and Chi-Chi asks to see your work." The others all snigger under their breath, prompting me to turn on my heel and find a place to make a bed, as far away from Yamcha as possible.

After a few minutes of pre-flight checks, Bulma declares us ready for takeoff, and the ship rumbles beneath us. Finally, we lift off the ground and rocket into space. Though our solar system is quickly left behind, we know the trip ahead will be along one. The five of us settle in, each choosing a different room. As we streak through outer space, I lay down on my bedroll, and once again dream of an angel. Though Goku is still recovering, time waits for no Saiyan, and the next adventure is begun!

 **A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, just because not much happens. It's really just a bridge between sagas and introductions.**

 **Next time on Hidden Power: Our heroes land on Namek and begin their search for the Dragonballs. But there might be evils greater than Vegeta also looking for the seven artifacts. How will the Z-fighters fare without Goku? Why does Lynn keep having the same dream over and over again? Will Yamcha ever be useful? Find out next time on Hidden Power! (Tell your friends)**


	6. One Small Step

**A/N:** **For clarification: (text in parentheses) is modern-day Lynn commenting on her flashback,** _ **text in italics outside of quotes**_ **is flashback Lynn** **'** **s thoughts.** _ **Text in italics inside quotes**_ **denotes emphatic speaking, often for sarcasm.** **Similarly, regular text inside thoughts denotes emphasis and/or sarcasm. This will be clear when it happens. Translated Namekian will be** _ **italic text**_ **inside quotes.**

 **Long conversations will be divided as follows:**

" **First speaker"**

" **Second speaker"**

" **First"**

" **Second** **" etc. who is speaking will either be clear from context, or will be explicitly mentioned.**

 **I own only my original character, Lynn. The following is a non-profit, fan-based fanfiction. Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. Dragonball Z Abridged is owned by Team Four Star. Please support the official release.**

 **Canon divergence and character exposition, ho!**

One Small Step

"SAVE ME!" My eyes shoot open and I bolt upright with a gasp. After my breathing calms down, I realize that I was just dreaming. _We've been in space for close to a month now, and I've had that same exact dream at least once a week. Wonder if we can find a Namekian shrink while we're out here._ Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I make my way from my alcove to the main room of the ship, only to find Bulma had beaten me there.

"Huh, I'm surprised you're here already. You usually don't get up till ten."

"Well, today is an exception. We should be landing on Namek in about an hour. You should go wake the others."

"I'm sure they'll wake up when we hit the atmosphere. There is an atmosphere, right? I don't want to be wearing some bulky suit if we get into a fight." _Especially if we run into Vegeta. He doesn't need any advantages over us._

Unfortunately, Bulma's answer is drowned out by the sound of the three other crewmembers emerging from their alcoves to stand next to the viewport at the front of the ship. Following their gaze, I can see a greenish orb floating in space, getting closer by the second.

"So that's Namek. We're finally here, and now we can start the search for the Dragonballs, and revive our friends!" Krillin's enthusiasm is contagious, and soon Gohan is laughing with excitement, and Yamcha and I actually manage to look at each other without glaring. The only member of the group not partaking in the euphoria is Bulma.

"I hate to burst your bubble, guys, but something tells me this isn't going to be so easy. We don't even know if the Namekians are friendly. I mean, half of the ones we know tried to kill us and rule the world." The mood dies instantly, and everyone goes back to staring out the viewport in silence. As the minutes tick by, the planet appears larger and larger, until we can no longer see anything but its greenish hue.

"Brace yourselves, we're about to hit the atmosphere." No sooner have the words left Bulma's mouth then the whole ship begins to shake violently. Unfortunately for Yamcha, the warning came to late for him to buckle himself into his chair, and he was sent bouncing around the room like a pinball. Even worse for the rest of us, that meant he was slammed into us by the turbulence, leading to lots of cursing and bruises.

Finally, the air settles as we slow our descent for a landing. _I can't believe I'm about to set foot on an alien planet! Then again, I guess technically every step I took on Earth was on an alien planet. Whatever, I'm still gonna be excited!_ With a final thud, our ship lands, and the month-long journey to Namek is over. "Now guys, I know we all want to start searching for the Dragonballs, but we need to run some tests first to see if there's…guys?"

"I think they already left the ship, Bulma." Sure enough, a quick glance out the window reveals Krillin, Yamcha, and Gohan standing around outside, without any protective gear or spacesuits. _Well I suppose that's one way of testing for breathable air._

Upon ascertaining that the three idiots aren't going to asphyxiate, Bulma and I exit the ship to stand next to them. _That's one small step for Lynn, and one giant leap for Majin-kind. Heh, I crack myself up._ My mental stand-up act is interrupted by Bulma's tirade against the guys for not taking proper precautions.

"Are you crazy!? What if there was no oxygen? What if you died as soon as you stepped outside, or worse, let all the air out of the ship and killed me!? I have never met people as stupid as the three of you!" _Well in his defense, Gohan is only five years old. You can't exactly expect him to be a rocket scientist. Still, I'm not gonna get between angry Bulma and her targets. She's almost as scary as Chi-Chi._

"Actually Bulma, it was a reasonable assumption that the air would be breathable. Piccolo and Kami survived fine on Earth, and it is highly unlikely that their species would be able to thrive in two completely separate environments." _Well shit, maybe the kid is a rocket scientist. I don't even remember what I was like when I was five, but something tells me I wasn't that smart, seeing as how I didn't realize I was an alien till I was twelve._

"I don't care how reasonable the assumption was! You know what, forget it, let's just start looking for the Dragonballs." _And that's my cue._

Taking the Dragon Radar from its holster, I thumb the button on the top of the device to activate it. Almost immediately, four golden dots start blinking on the green grid. "Hey Bulma, we've already got a reading on four of them! And they're all together, too!"

Before anyone can react, a pulse of energy smashes into the ground next to our ship, sending up a cloud of smoke and sending Bulma scurrying for cover. The rest of us tense and look to the sky, searching for the source of the blast. Fortunately, we don't have to look far. Unfortunately, that's because our attackers somehow managed to get right above us without anyone noticing. _How the Hell did they sneak up on us like that? They must be really good at hiding their power levels._

The two beings floating above us are aliens for sure, but they're definitely not Namekians. They both have skin in varying shades of purple, but one has reptilian scales and the other appears to have skin akin to humans. Any more observations are cut off when the bigger one speaks.

"In the name of Lord Frieza, we demand that you surrender yourselves and your ship for processing and detainment." _In the name of lord who do whatnow? What are these guys going on about?_ Apparently thinking himself stealthy, Yamcha tries to flank to the side to get a shot at the bad guys. Unfortunately, he's not stealthy, and said bad guys retaliate by blowing a hole through our ship with some sort of arm mounted energy cannon.

 _Theses guys need guns to shoot ki blasts? Maybe they're not hiding their power, they just don't have any._ "This is your last warning. This planet is now under the control of Lord Frieza, and it is by his order that we require your immediate surrender. The next shot will be through you, not your ship." _Whoever this Frieza guy is should train his men better. Never give the enemy a warning._

Giving a slight nod to Krillin, we spring into the air and smash the two hostile aliens into each other. My revised assessment of their strength turns out to be correct, as the simple collision sends them sailing unconscious into a nearby lake. "Heh, looks like they're all…washed up! Get it?"

"Really Lynn, puns at a time like this? Shouldn't you be more concerned with the loss of our ship!?" Bulma's reprimand dashes my god cheer, but only momentarily.

"Well it's not like we're stranded here forever, right? All we have to do is hold out until Goku gets here, and we can all go back on the ship your dad is building for him! And we still have to find the Dragonballs, so we were gonna have to stay here for a while anyways." _Hah! I can argue with the best of them._

Once again, Bulma wipes the smile off my face, "And where exactly do you expect us to sleep, eat, and live while we're here?" _Damn, she's right. I didn't think of that._

Thankfully, Krillin chimes in with a solution, "Hey guys, look over there!" Following his pointing finger, we can see a cave in the side of a cliff. "We can set up camp in there, and that way we'll be hidden from sight and protected from weather!"

Only Bulma seems to object to this, as she's the only one who's never slept in the great outdoors before. Krillin and Yamcha slept outside as part of their training with Master Roshi, Gohan lived in the wasteland training under Piccolo, and I used to sleep in the forest all the time before Gran died. Despite her reservations, she agrees to the plan and begins the process of salvaging her gear from the ship.

After transferring our duffels, living equipment, and long-range communications gear, Krillin, Gohan, and I push the ruined ship into the lake to prevent enemies from seeing it as they fly by. "Phew, that thing was heavier than it looked!" _Well, it's official. We are officially stranded until Goku gets…ohshitwhatthehellisthat!?_

"Everyone get in the freaking cave, _NOW_!" We barely make it in time; right as we finish hiding all the gear inside the cave a large group of aliens fly overhead. Their power levels make the two that attacked us look like teddy bears. After what seems like an eternity, they all pass by, and it's safe for us to leave the cave.

With typical five-year-old tact (or lack thereof), Gohan points out the obvious, "Wow, did you guys feel their power levels? They each had to be as strong as Vegeta!"

"Yes Gohan, we noticed."

"And that one guy in the front, he was like a hundred Vegetas!"

"Yes Gohan, we noticed!"

"And they had the four Dragonballs we saw on the radar!"

"YES GOHAN, WE NOTICED!"

"Ok ok, there's no need to shout." _Well this is not good. There's no way we'd be able to take on one Vegeta, let alone all that power._

Looking around at everyone's dejected faces, I decide a pep talk is in order. "Look, I know this seems bad, but think of it this way: we don't have to find all the Dragonballs! All we have to do is find one and hide it so whoever that was can't make their wish. Then, once Goku gets here, we can go after the other six. We just have to stay out of sight until then."

Surprisingly, Gohan and Krillin seem to accept my plan as a solid one. Yamcha and Bulma, on the other hand, seem to think I'm crazy. "Are you crazy!? We can't leave this cave without being killed! And it took us a whole month to get here! Do you really think we can hide a Dragonball for a whole month?" _Well sheesh, I don't see you coming up with a better plan._

"Relax Yamcha, I'm sure Bulma's dad can make a better spaceship than the Namekians. It won't take Goku as long to get here as it took us. In the meantime, we should go after that group of bad guys." For some reason, my suggestions are just not being received well today. Wonder why that could be.

"Why would we ever want to go after the group of people who could easily kill us singlehandedly, let alone together? Why would we listen to you, anyway? You've been with us for all of a month and a half. Who put you in charge?" _Will this guy ever give it a rest?_

"I'm not in charge, I just happen to be the only one coming up with some idea of what to do to save YOUR friends. Now, I'm going after those bad guys because we need to know how many Dragonballs they have besides those four. Then we can set out to find one of the remaining ones and wait for Goku. You can stay here and hide if you want, but if you come with me you'll shut up and listen." Before I even finish talking, I can tell Yamcha won't be leaving this cave. _Thank God for that. I don't want him along anyway._

"Fine. You go get yourself killed. But when they catch you, you better not tell them where we are!" He storms off into the cave, but he's the only one to do so. Even Bulma seems to want to help.

"Bulma, I'm sorry but you'd just slow us down. We need to be able to move as fast as possible to avoid detection. Looks like you're gonna have to stay here with Yamcha." This seems to be exactly what she was trying to avoid, but she knows as well as anyone that she won't be any use in a fight. Without protest, she heads back to the cave, leaving Krillin, Gohan, and I to do the adventuring.

"Alright guys, remember to keep your power levels down so they don't sense us coming. Wow, you're really good at that, Krillin!"

"But I didn't even…I mean yes, yes I am!" The three of us take off, flying low to the ground to avoid being seen by Vegeta or those other guys. _That must have been Lord Freezer or whatever his name was. I really hope we don't run into him, but something tells me we're gonna have to fight him. This planet isn't big enough for all of us._

After only a few minutes, all three of us can sense that massive power level just over the next ridge. Belly-crawling to the top, we peek over the edge to observe the heinous tableau beneath us.

On one side of a field of grass is a Namekian village, populated by several adults, an elder, and two children. On the other side is the source of the terrible energy we've been sensing: a small, purple and pink alien with two horns jutting out from his head. He's sitting in some sort of hover chair, with a long tail coiled around his waist. Despite the fact that he's obviously not a Saiyan, he wears armor reminiscent of Vegeta's, only purple and brown instead of white and yellow. Flanking Lord Frieza, for it must be him, are two more aliens, each stronger than Vegeta was on Earth.

The first is a tall, slim humanoid with green skin and long green hair. On Frieza's opposite side is a shorter, fat, pink alien with rough, pebbly skin. At his feet are the four Dragonballs we scanned with the radar, but they're not the same as the ones on Earth. Whereas those were the size of baseballs, these were the size of basketballs, at least! _Well, those are gonna be a bitch to carry around. Not to mention fight with._ My attention snaps back to reality as Frieza addresses the village elder.

"Come now, you must know what we're hear for. And you must know what will happen if you do not give it to us. There's really no need for violence."

"If that's the case, then why have you destroyed four of our villages? Why have you mercilessly slaughtered our people? Tyrants like you will always resort to violence. You'll kill us all either way, so you'll get nothing from me." _Wow, he's got serious guts. Or he's stalling until help arrives._

"You know I could just have my men kill everyone in your village and simply _take_ the Dragonball. I'm offering you the chance to save you children's lives, and you're metaphorically spitting in my face. Such impertinence is exactly why your precious villages were destroyed." He nods to the fatter henchman, who immediately lunges forward and elbows one of the adults in the face so hard his neck snaps. "Now, you have one more chance. Hand over the Dragonball, and I won't harm anyone else."

The elder has no fight left in him. With a look of deepest regret, he reaches inside the nearest dwelling and retrieves the hidden Dragonball. "Fine. Take it and leave us be."

"Oh my good fellow, I hope you didn't think it would be so easy. I might have left in peace, but after you were so rude to me, I feel that you owe me an apology. Tell me where the next village is, and then I shall leave your pitiful family in peace." It's clear the elder wasn't expecting such an ultimatum. The first hints of panic begin to appear in his eyes, but he stands his ground.

"That…that wasn't part of our deal!"

"Oh, if I had a Dragonball for every time I'd heard that today…oh wait, I do." With an evil glint in his eyes, he nods to his fat minion again, who proceeds to brutally kill the remaining adults in the village, save for the elder. So focused is my attention on the gruesome scene before me that I fail to notice Gohan's power spiking with rage. Thankfully, a distraction arrives in the form of three Namekian warriors, roughly the same age as Piccolo.

"How dare you murder our people! We've done nothing to you to deserve this."

"That's where you're wrong. You refuse time and time again to hand over your Dragonballs, you reject my kind offers of peace, and you spit in the face of my hospitality. Your very existence is an affront to my presence. I am the ruler of this galaxy; everything in it is mine by right! Tell me where the next village is, or die."

The three warriors charge the tyrant, but the battle was over before it began. The taller minion springs into action this time, smashing his fist clean through one of the Namekians' stomach while blasting another with a ki attack. The third, to his credit, charges the evil alien with a courageous battle cry, but is knocked through a house and lies unmoving on the other side.

However, the Namekians score a small victory. While the three young warriors are being slaughtered, the elder jumps into the air and destroys the Scouters that Frieza and his men wear to sense energy. "There…now you can no longer find our villages. The other Dragonballs are safe."

Frieza turns to the other minion with a cruel nonchalance, "Dodoria, convince this elder to tell me where the Dragonball is, I don't care how you do it." The pink monster grins menacingly, and advances towards the elder.

"No matter how much you torture me, I will never give you the location of my brethren." _Man, I wish we could help these guys, but we'd be destroyed in an instant. Stealth is the only option._

"Heh, I'm sure you'd keep your mouth shut no matter how much pain I put you through. That's why I'm not attacking you." Without taking his eyes off the elder, Dodoria lifts a hand and blasts one of the children with a beam of pure energy, killing him in an instant. The elder snaps, charging Dodoria with a howl of rage. Despite their vast difference in strength, he actually manages to land a blow on the evil warrior. Unfortunately, Dodoria reacts by reaching out and snapping the old Namek's neck.

This finally proves too much for Gohan, who launches off the ridge with a scream of unbridled rage and smashes a kick into Dodoria's face, sending him flying through the last untouched Namekian house. _Well, shit. So much for stealth._ I fire a ki blast into the ground in front of Frieza and his other minion to blind them with dust while Krillin grabs the surviving Namekian kid. Before the smoke clears, the four of us are long gone. _Without their scouters they shouldn't be able to find us very easily._

That would have been the case, if Dodoria hadn't been much faster than I had anticipated. With a surge of power, he comes barreling out of the smoke hot on our tail. Our progress is slowed substantially by the fact that the little Namekian seems either too scared or simply unable to fly on his own, so Krillin is stuck carrying him.

Before any of us can think of an escape plan, Dodoria looses a ki blast at Krillin, knocking the Namekian out of his grip. I dive after him, barely catching up before he hits the ground. Unfortunately, this leaves me unable to fight, so Gohan has to save Krillin. "SOLAR FLARE!"

A brilliant flash leaps out of Krillin's hands and blinds Dodoria, making him release the Earthling to clutch his eyes. _Or Krillin could save himself. Good thing we brought him along instead of Yamcha._ Taking advantage of Dodoria's incapacitation, Gohan moves in for an attack. "MASENKO, HAH!" A golden beam of energy flies through the air and impacts the evil bastard square in the face, knocking him from the sky.

"Great job, Gohan! Now let's get out of here before he wakes up." The little Namekian seems to have fainted from fear, understandably, so I still have to carry him as we make our way back to the cave, and the other two members of our party. Thankfully, the rest of the trip to the temporary camp passes without incident. As we approach, we can see Bulma and Yamcha outside waving at us. _I hope Yamcha remembered to check our energy before going outside. If he just waves at whoever flies by we're gonna need anew hiding spot pretty soon, and the damp, mossy feel of this place is growing on me._

Thankfully the Namekian kid has recovered enough at this point to land on his own, and the four of us lightly drop onto the ground in front of Yamcha and Bulma. "Guys, while you were gone we got some great news! Um…who's that with you?"

Noticing Bulma's stare, the little Namekian hides behind my legs, and answers in a quiet voice, "My name is Dende. Your friends saved me from the evil ones who destroyed my village." Bulma instantly starts fawning over the kid, and it's clear that she'll forgive us for potentially getting ourselves killed. Yamcha, on the other hand, is once again only concerned with himself.

"Are you guys insane? You were supposed to be stealthy! What if they had figured out where Bulma and I were hiding? What if you had gotten yourselves killed? All this risk over some kid you've never even met?" _What is wrong with this guy? He finds a way to criticize literally everything I do! I should've let him fight that damned Saibaman back on Earth._

"Don't forget that you're only here because Lynn risked everything to save someone she didn't even know, Yamcha! She could've easily let you die!" Bulma's outraged shout manages to shut Yamcha up for the time being, and we bring our focus back to the situation at hand.

"So, you said you had good news for us?" Bulma nods and motions us into the cave. Dende follows along, seeing as he has no other options but going back to his destroyed village currently populated by imperialistic murdering psychopaths. At the back of the cave, Bulma used Capsule Corp's incredible technology to set up a small house for us to use as a base of operations. _I don't think I'll ever understand how they can take something as big as a house and store it in a capsule the size of a pill._

Ducking through the doorway, she leads us to a laptop that she somehow used to communicate with Earth; on the screen is a recording of her father talking about the ship he built for Goku. Thankfully, I'm not the only one confused by the techno-babble the scientist is relaying to us; everyone turns to Bulma for a translation.

"He's saying that the ship he made is so fast that Goku will be here in only six days! And he made a machine that allows Goku to train at a hundred times Earth's gravity! He'll be super strong by the time he gets here." _Well that seems equal parts convenient and dangerous. The wonders of science! Now we only have to hide a Dragonball for six days instead of thirty. Speaking of which…_

"Hey Dende, you wouldn't happen to know anyone who could help us find a Dragonball, would you?" To our collective surprise, he actually does.

"I know of one who may help you. He is known as the leader of our people; he is the eldest Namekian. They say he is a wise elder who led our people through the suffering of the Great Drought. It would make sense that he would hold on of our people's greatest treasures. Whether he will give it to you, I cannot say."

"Alright, let's go visit this elder and see if we can get that Dragonball!" Before we can leave, an angry Bulma raises an objection.

"No way! You are not leaving me unprotected again!"

"Relax Bulma, you'll still have Yamcha here with you."

"You are not leaving me unprotected again!"

 _Heh, she's got a point there._ "Alright, Gohan will stay here with you and Yamcha; Krillin and I will go see the elder. Lead on, Dende." The three of us take off, leaving the other three in the cave. As we fly in the opposite direction of Dende's former village, we feel a huge spike of energy off to our right.

"Did…did you guys f-feel that?" Krillin's stammering is understandable; the power was unmistakably Vegeta's, and it wasn't too far away.

"I fear another one of our villages has just been destroyed. This means five of the Dragonballs are now in the hands of evil, and I am among the last of my kind." _At least they're two different evils. As long as Vegeta holds on to his, no one gets to make a wish. I really hope this doesn't turn into an 'enemy of my enemy' situation._

"Remember to keep your power levels low so Vegeta can't find us. Dende, are there any Namekian warriors strong enough to help us fight Vegeta if necessary?" The little guy ponders my question for a moment, but the look on his face is doubtful rather than hopeful.

"I have never seen this Vegeta you speak of, but the three fighters who came to try to save my village were among the strongest of our race. There is one mightier, but he has the sacred duty of guarding elder Guru, and he will not forsake this responsibility." _Great, no help till Goku gets here._

"No disrespect to your people, but Vegeta would tear through those three from the village, so it doesn't appear that we can count on anyone here for help in combat. We should get to Guru's as fast as possible." Krillin's assessment rings true, and we hurry to reach the one Namekian who may be able to give us a Dragonball before Vegeta or Frieza get to it.

After nearly ten minutes of frantic flying with no further sign of Vegeta, we finally arrive at a tall rock spire that supports the home of Grand Elder Guru. Standing outside is a Namekian warrior weaker than Piccolo, but stronger than the three who failed to save Dende's village. _That must be the one mightier warrior Dende mentioned. Looks like we were right, he'd be almost no help in a fight against Vegeta or Frieza._ The three of us land in front of the warrior, who immediately begins speaking to Dende in a language neither Krillin nor I can understand.

" _Dende, why have you brought these foreigners to the home of the Grand Elder? Are you not aware of the aliens destroying our planet?"_

" _They are not the evil ones, Nail. They saved me from the forces that seek to ravage our world. They claim to be here to help, but they need Guru's assistance."_

" _They wish to help but they need help first? What nonsense is this? By bringing them here you may have alerted every enemy in the region to Guru's presence. I cannot allow them entry."_

The back and forth debate is ended when a new voice breaks into the conversation _"Naaaaiiiiiilllll. Bring the foreigners inside. I wish to speak with them."_ The tall warrior, who of course must be Nail, gives up the argument and steps aside to allow us to enter.

The inside of the dwelling is covered in shadows, and occupied by what must be the largest and oldest Namekian in existence. Easily double the height and triple the width of Nail, the elder sits upon a massive throne-like chair at the far end of the room. A face lined with age stares at us as we walk inside; his eyes widen with shock upon seeing me, or more accurately, my head-tails and pink skin.

"NAIL! How dare you bring a Majin into my home! Get this disgusting, destructive creature out of my sight immediately!" Surprisingly, he speaks in English. That's good for me, though, as it gives me the chance to defend myself before Nail can respond.

"Excuse you, did we come to your planet and blow shit up? One of your kind tried to take over my world and kill pretty much everyone! Sounds to me like you're the destructive ones! For your information, I don't even know what a freaking Majin is! We just came here to find the Dragonballs and wish back our friends, but everyone on this planet seems to want to kill us! Dende said you could help, but obviously this was just a waste of our time."

"Wait, do not leave. I can sense only a benevolent energy emanating from within you. Forgive me my mistake; you do not exactly fit the picture the legends imply of your species." _Great, yet another alien who knows more about me than I do. At least this one isn't trying to kill me. Alas, I have slightly more important things to worry about._

Before I can think of asking for any explanations, Dende pipes up from behind me, "Grand Elder, we have come to you seeking aid. We need to hide your Dragonball so that the evil forces attacking our home cannot find it and abuse its power. I would also ask that you unlock my new friends' hidden potential, so that they might be better able to protect our people." The old Namek considers Dende's words before nodding in assent. Nail seems frustrated with Guru's cooperation, but nonetheless removes the Dragonball from its seat atop the throne and hands it to Krillin.

"Now, there is something I must do before you leave. I will grant you access to the power concealed within you, by unlocking your latent strength." He places one hand on Krillin's forehead, and Krillin is enveloped in a silver aura. Suddenly, his power spikes substantially, shooting up to the level of my strength during the fight against Vegeta! I stare at Krillin in awe before remembering that any jackass with a scouter would have noticed that spike.

Guru seems equally aware of the danger, as he hurriedly motions me towards him. "Krillin, take the Dragonball and get out of here. There's no doubt someone will come to investigate, and we can't have them stealing it. I'll get the power-up from Guru, and I'll catch up with you at the cave."

"I can't just leave you here!"

"Yes you can, and that's exactly what you're going to do. You need to get that Dragonball back to Bulma and hide it until Goku gets here. If Vegeta or Frieza find it, this has all been for nothing. Now GO!"

"Alright, but you get out of here as soon as possible, alright?" With a final nod of farewell, Krillin takes off with the Dragonball, heading back to the cave once again. Meanwhile, I turn towards Guru and wait respectively for him to speak.

"You claim to have no knowledge of the Majins. Would you like me to share mine?" _This is it. I finally get to find out what I am._ After receiving my nod of confirmation, Guru begins his tale.

"Long ago, when I was younger than Dende, the Grand Elder of that time told the Legend of the Majins. According to him, your species was created by an ancient being of immense magical power to help him conquer the universe. Majins are said to possess immense physical strength, as well as mysterious abilities, the details of which are vague at best and blatant hyperbole at worst. They nearly succeeded in their evil schemes of universal domination, and a greater terror has never been known, or forgotten. However, the sorcerer and his army of Majin warriors was defeated by a legendary warrior, said to glow with a golden energy and take the form of a giant ape. The legend says that the wizard was left with only his original, and most powerful, creation: Majin Buu, the father of your race. They disappeared millennia ago, and have never been heard from since. I always thought the stories to be myths, but your existence disproves that notion. The image of a Majin has always been cause for nightmares, and any who have heard the tale will no doubt react to your presence the same way I did."

 _That would explain Vegeta's fear when he first saw me. That legendary warrior must have been a Saiyan; it would explain the bit about the ape. As the prince of his race, he was no doubt told the legend of his people's greatest victory. But why would the Great Ape have been gold? Still, the part about mysterious abilities would explain my healing thingy. But if all the Majins save Buu were destroyed, how do I exist? This story only left me with more questions! Still, it's more than I had yesterday, and maybe someone else out there knows more. I don't know how to feel about being part of a race that tried to rule the whole universe though. I mean, I didn't do anything like that, but to have that reputation, even with a handful of people, is just weird. Gah, I'll have time for inner monologues later. I need to get that power-up and get out of here._

Breaking out of my mental conversation with myself, I look back up at Guru. "Grand Elder, thank you for sharing this with me. If I might trouble you for one more thing, could you unlock my hidden potential like you did for my friend?"

"Of course, young one. You and your friends are the best this hope my home has of surviving the evil that plagues it like a cancer. Step forward, and I will reach into your mind and release your power." _Well now, that sounds decidedly uncomfortable. Not like I have much of a choice though._

The old Namek places his hand on my forehead, and I feel the most curious sensation of my whole life. It's almost as if there is another presence in my mind. Suddenly, I feel a new strength flood into my limbs. _It's working! I can't believe this is actually OWWW! What the HELL!?_ A pain unlike anything I've ever felt floods through my mind, as if my brain is on fire.

Guru withdraws his hand with a concerned expression on his weathered face. "I am sorry. I cannot unlock your full potential. It would seem that another telepath has put walls in place in order to prevent this kind of power-up. Breaking those walls would destroy your mind. The only one who could completely unlock your potential would be the original telepath. However, it should be possible for me to release part of your latent energy. It would seem that yet another telepath has created some sort of link between your mind and theirs, allowing them access but denying it to others. It would seem that you are quite popular, most likely due to your unique heritage. If someone could control the full power of a Majin warrior, they would stand a good chance of controlling most of the universe."

 _Well damn, that was a lot of information all at once._ "Is there no way to know who the other people messing with my head are?"

"Unfortunately, all I can sense are the vaguest of intentions. The first, the one who created the walls, reeks of selfish evil. The second, however, seems to be benign. It is likely that they created a shield for you, to prevent you from being manipulated by the malevolent telepath. I have given you as much of a power boost as I can. I recommend you find the other minds trying to control yours as quickly as possible, or the consequences may be dire."

"Thank you for you assistance and advice, Elder Guru, but I must help my friends gather the Dragonballs and defeat the evil on this planet before I go searching for another." I leave the Elder's home, thinking about everything I just learned. _So now there's two people at war over my mind? This day just keeps getting weirder. Alright, time to get back to Krillin and the others so we can—_ THUNK!

Something impacts the back of my skull hard enough to make me see stars, and knocks me to my knees. _What the Hell?_ Before I can turn around to face my attackers, another blow falls, and I collapse on the grass, pain emanating from the base of my head. As I start to fall into the abyss of unconsciousness, I'm dimly aware of blood trickling down my neck, and voices speaking over me.

"Take her to the detainment center for processing."

"Not to Lord Frieza's ship?"

"No, we've had reports of Saiyan activity there. All operations are being shunted to base bravo. Get some deterrent cuffs on her and then throw her in a cell. Once she wakes up, Frieza will have some questions, if he's not too busy dealing with the Saiyans."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. The Ginyu Force should have that well under control once they arrive tomorrow." The last thing I'm aware is malevolent laughter, and then darkness envelops me.

 **A/N: Well, this chapter is finally done. Longest one so far! Over twenty-five thousand words for the whole story now! Apologies for the wait, lots of stuff going on. The next one shouldn't take anywhere near this amount of time, so worry not faithful readers! (All twenty-two of you)**

 **Next time on Hidden Power: Lynn wakes up in a cell, a prisoner of the dastardly Lord Frieza! How will she reunite with her friends? How will she make sense of the revelations she received from Lord Guru? Who are the evil Ginyu Force? Will Yamcha ever do anything besides hide in a cave? Find out next time on Hidden Power! (Seriously, tell your friends)**


	7. HiatusApologies

Hello faithful readers. You deserve to know why I haven't updated this story in months. I couldn't find any motivation to write during my last summer before college, so that knocked out three months. My first semester has been really rough so far, academically and otherwise. Rest assured, there are plans in the works to fix all the problems; implementing them is just a problem of its own. I made a promise to myself, my characters, and you my readers when i started this fic that I would see i through. I fully intend to keep that promise. I am still writing, it's just extremely slow going. I'm about a fifth of the way done with the next chapter. Lynn's story will see its rightful end, I promise you that. I only ask that you be patient with me, as I'm only human. This fic will cover all the material through Battle of the Gods; I'll start another entry for Super. I also plan to write smaller entries for the non-canon movies. So don't worry, there's plenty more Hidden Power to discover. Just stay with me faithful readers, and await the next episode of Hidden Power!


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